


Crash & Burn

by regrettablelifedecisions



Category: ATEEZ (Band), NCT (Band)
Genre: (Ish) - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, But also, Fluff, Guard Yunho, M/M, Prince Hongjoong, Slave Mingi, Slow Burn, futhering my mingi baby agenda, ive also done doyoung dirty, prince mingi, taeyong sweetie im sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 16:34:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 34,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21917971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regrettablelifedecisions/pseuds/regrettablelifedecisions
Summary: One day was all it took for Mingi's life to be turned upside down. Once a prince, now a captive of his worst enemy, he must rely on his own wit and the help of unexpected friends to survive.It's not as cliché as it sounds, I promise.
Relationships: Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Jeong Yunho/Kim Hongjoong, Jeong Yunho/Kim Hongjoong/Song Mingi, Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi, Kim Hongjoong/Song Mingi
Comments: 115
Kudos: 252





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This entire fic was inspired by how much I love one Song Mingi, the entirety of Ateez deserve the world. Also it may take a while for everyone to turn up but please bear with me, I promise everyone rocks up eventually.
> 
> Disclaimer: I love NCT with my entire heart and soul, but they were just really fun to write as villains. I'm so sorry Taeyong.
> 
> Title from Crash & Burn by GOT7
> 
> This is my first fic on this website, so pls have pity on me. Also thanks to my best friend and beta for having the patience to deal with my constant screeching about Mingi and lack of ability to grammar.

Albia was a happy kingdom, whose people lived simple, content lives. They were led by their beloved royal family: the Queen and her son Prince Mingi, who was her pride after her husband’s passing. The Prince was admired throughout the land, for he was a kind soul and a fearsome warrior, having fought to protect the country’s borders on many occasions. Albia may not have been the biggest or richest of the kingdoms, but it was happy. 

However, happiness is often temporary, and to the east trouble was brewing. There was a shadow spreading across the land. Evil was stirring, and with it rumours began to spread. Whispers of a ruthless army and a power-hungry king. To the Albians these tales were dismissed as fanciful stories from travellers who had been on the road too long. After all, what evil could be interested in taking over a quiet kingdom such as theirs?

\-------- 

Gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, Mingi rushed through the palace’s halls, winding past servants who were busy going about their chores. He’d been training with his men when a messenger burst in, breathlessly announcing that his mother had summoned him. 

Striding down the corridor he looked every inch the prince he was, his simple training clothes doing nothing to detract from his regal looks. Despite his rush the prince made sure to greet the people he passed, if not by name then with a kind smile and wave. It was no coincidence that Mingi was renowned for his gentle soul, his sweet demeanour and almost puppy-like energy had won over the entire castle, meaning he was loved by all.

Internally however Mingi was panicking. The last time his mother had summoned him directly he had been scolded for spending too much time with the servants in the kitchen when he should’ve been studying. It wasn’t his fault that Seokjin’s epic tales of daring deeds and far off lands were considerably more exciting than listening to another ancient professor drone on about the strengths of Albia’s Navy.

Reaching the throne room Mingi snapped out of his thoughts, pushing open the heavy wood doors. His mother was sitting on her throne in the middle of the empty hall, and Mingi sank to one knee in greeting.

“Rise, my son.” The Queen said, meeting his gaze from across the room. Mingi scanned his mother's face, expecting to see certain tell-tale signs of anger. Instead it was eyes creased with worry that met his own.

“Why have you called for me Mother?” Mingi questioned, relaxing slightly with the knowledge that he wasn’t there to be reprimanded.

His mother sighed, slowly walking over to a large window that looked out over the kingdom.

“For as long as I can remember, Albia has existed in a state of peace, with no wars or conflicts. The people here have flourished, safety bringing prosperity, prosperity bringing happiness. But I’m worried that things are changing, it always seemed too good to last.” 

Mingi looked up in confusion.

“I don’t understand, Mother. The last threat we faced were those bandits from the north, and our army easily crushed them.”

His mother groaned and rubbed her face. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days.

“There is a new threat growing, one much more dangerous than a few rogue bandits or some rebellious farmers. For months I’ve been hearing whispers, but I foolishly believed we would be safe here - after all our small kingdom has few riches and limited political use. However, it’s now clear that these people have little interest in those things. They exist only to conquer and expand. Its power they crave, and they’ll stop at little to get it.”

“But, Mother, what...” Mingi spluttered in shock, “who are these people?”

“They call themselves The Aurora,” said the Queen, pulling a grim face. “A beautiful name for what’s essentially a ruthless killing machine. They originated from a kingdom in the far east which is where their King still lives. However, they’ve now taken over so much land that most of the continent is under their rule. Their King is a cruel man, with two even crueller sons, and together they rule over the empire they’ve created with an iron fist.”

“But why worry about this now? You said yourself that they're from the far east, surely they wouldn’t venture this far west?”

“That’s what I had hoped, but yesterday I got a message from one of my spies. Just four words, but that was enough to get the message across and strike fear into even my heart. The Aurora is coming.”

Mingi paled in shock. Moments ago, his biggest concerns were whether or not he would be scolded for skiving, and now he’s being told the entire kingdom was in danger? It was too much, too soon. 

Finally, he spoke up, determination filling his voice. 

“Is there anything we can do?”

“We can fight.” The Queen looked Mingi up and down, assessing him. “Son, you’re the Kingdom’s best fighter, and you’ve created a guard full of well-trained soldiers. I’m trusting you to defend this castle and the people within it. I will ride with our army to the borders and see if we can stop them there. I have little hope that we will succeed, but I must try.”

Suddenly Mingi’s mother pulled him in for a tight hug, the rare display of affection shocking the prince. It didn’t take him long to sink into the embrace, grasping onto the last few moments of peace alone with his mother.

“Good luck son, may the gods be with you.” 

With that she swept out of the room, leaving him standing there alone.

Shaking his head Mingi began to formulate a plan. First he had to find his men. Then he had a war to prepare for.

\--------- 

His mother left the next morning. As Mingi watched her ride out of the castle, his stomach sunk as an overwhelming sense of dread overcame him. Trying his hardest not to dwell on it, he turned to face his men.

“Alright, listen up. We are this kingdom’s last line of defence, so it’s vital we play our part. You all have your duties; you know your roles. We have trained for this, sweat both blood and tears. If these people think they can walk into our home as they please, they’re in for a shock. We fight today for our country, our loved ones, and our freedom. For Albia!”

Mingi felt hope swell in his chest as his cry echoed around the courtyard, his men taking up the chant. These were Albia’s brightest and best; disciplined soldiers that he’d trained with his entire life. Maybe they actually had a chance.

\----------

They had no chance. The Aurora had reached the palace in three days, obliterating the army at the border, killing the Queen. Mingi’s forces had been slowly eliminated, until it was just him and a final few men fighting to defend the throne room. It was a hopeless battle. No matter how many men Mingi killed, there was always someone else ready to take their place, the soldiers swarming in a seemingly endless horde. To his left he heard a grunt as another one of his men fell. Tirelessly Mingi kept fighting, parrying and lunging left right and centre with his sword, killing man after man.

Suddenly a loud laugh cut through the sound of the battle. The soldiers around Mingi paused, turning to face the source of the noise. Mingi looked around the room taking stock of his position. With a sinking feeling he realised he was the only man left standing, his final guards having been crushed under the enemy’s relentless attacks.

“I like this one,” the laughing voice announced loudly.

Whipping around, Mingi stared at the door, looking for the speaker. Standing there was a short, fox-like man with red hair and pointed features. He was obviously the leader, exuding an authority the other soldiers lacked. To his right stood his second in command, a man with bunny like features contorted into an ugly scowl.

Taking advantage of the sudden stillness Mingi attempted to charge the fox-like man, figuring that if he was going to die, he might as well go down fighting. The man easily blocked his attack, disarming him with a flick of his wrist and knocking him in the ribs, hard. Mingi sank to the floor in exhaustion; he had been fighting for hours and his injury ridden body simply couldn’t sustain him anymore.

A hand cruelly grabbed his hair and yanked his head up. He found himself face to face with cold eyes that were much too close for comfort. 

“Hello beautiful,” the man sneered, “quite the fighter, aren’t you? I was counting on this being an easy raid with little loss of life, but you’ve ruined that plan, princess.” Mingi shuddered at the toxic words dripping from the man’s lips, causing his captor to smirk.

“Hmmm, maybe not princess but prince? Though Albia is a small, worthless kingdom, even I’ve heard tales of the golden Prince Mingi. Your fighting skills are things of legend.” The man continued to smile cruelly, kicking Mingi in the ribs again, causing him to writhe in pain.

“But still, you’re no match for the Aurora. Look at you now, cowering on your knees at my feet, where you belong. I can think of no better present for my brother than the once golden prince as his pet.” Taeyong traced a finger along Mingi’s lower lip, “In fact seeing you now, I’m almost tempted to keep you for my own.”

Disgusted, Mingi began to struggle as the man ran his hands down his sides. “Get off me you piece of shit! I’ll never submit to people like you, you disgust –“ 

His protests were abruptly stopped by a slap to the face. Dazed, the man forced his face back up.

“Nuh-uh dogs don’t speak unless spoken to, and for the record when you address me it’s either sir or my official title - Prince Taeyong.” Taeyong slapped Mingi once more for good measure before gesturing to the man at his side.

“Doyoung. Take him away.”

The last thing Mingi saw was Taeyong’s smirking face, the scowling guard, and a fist, before black filled his vision.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year!!
> 
> Slight warning, both Johnny and Taeyong are absolute dicks (I'm sorry I swear I love them both.) 
> 
> Enjoy

When Mingi next opened his eyes, he wished he hadn’t. His head felt like someone had bashed it with a rock, repeatedly, and every inch of his body was on fire. Despite the pain he forced himself to stay awake, desperately trying to take in his surroundings.

He was currently in some sort of carriage, half of which was taken up by a large cage where he was imprisoned. The other half was occupied by two guards who had yet to notice he was conscious. Mingi tried to sit up, but felt something restrict his movements. Looking down, he saw that his hands were shackled to the ground by thick chains, and worse, that there was a heavy metal collar around his neck connecting him to the carriage wall.

His movement must’ve alerted the guards to his presence, as they suddenly glanced up at him.

“Hey look,” the slightly taller man nudged his companion, “Sleeping beauty's finally awake.”

Both guards leered at Mingi as he stared back at them coldly from inside the cell.

“Pretty little thing isn’t he” sneered the taller arsehole “Do you think Taeyong would mind if we had a bit of fun with him? I’m sure he’d look even prettier if we roughed him up a bit.”

The prince shuddered at the thought, but thankfully the other guard just sighed and glowered at his companion.

“Shut your mouth Johnny. How do you think Hongjoong would react if someone got to use his present before he did? What would he do if he was gifted spoiled goods? Not to mention how possessive Taeyong is. You lay a finger on kitten here, and you’re essentially signing your own death warrant.”

Tall arsehole (which in Mingi’s opinion was a way better name than Johnny) simply smirked at his companion.

“Who said I was going to leave any marks on him? Oh Jaehyun, there are other types of fun we can have, fun that won’t leave a trace.”

Mingi recoiled in disgust as he caught on to what Johnny was implying. Thankfully, Jaehyun’s expression mirrored his own, and he gave his friend a sharp slap.

“God, go fuck a pig if you’re that horny. I swear you’d do anything to get your dick wet.”

Johnny flushed red, punching Jaehyun’s shoulder.

“Shut it, you dickhead! You’re not one to talk, remember that one time I walked in on you and Doyoung going at it like rabbits in my tent? Who was eager to get his dick wet then?”

Mingi sighed with relief as the two guards started squabbling. With all their arguing they seemed to have forgotten that he existed. As he tuned out their bickering his thoughts turned to his mother, and the people he’d failed. 

Grimly he thought of everyone that had trusted him to protect them. What would they think if they could see him now; chained up, beaten, and forced to listen to two morons with a grand total of one brain cell argue over who was the best lay? He was pathetic. Something deep in Mingi’s chest squirmed at his predicament, and he found himself fighting back tears, a sense of total helplessness filling his body. Panic washed over him and he fought to choke down a sob.

After battling with his emotions for a few minutes, he sighed. He was technically a king now for god's sake, he wouldn’t crumble this easily. If they thought that they could beat him into a submissive, obedient dog then they had a storm coming. After all, he was a warrior, and like hell would he go down without a fight.

\--------

Mingi woke for a second time to the sound of a door unlocking, He must’ve dozed off at some point, the sound of the guards bickering lulling him to sleep (or maybe it was the intense pain wracking his body that caused him to pass out, who knew?). His eyes cracked open slowly, blurry figures entering his vision as his tired brain tried to interpret his surroundings.

Jaehyun was holding his cell door open, whilst Johnny was kneeling by his side unchaining and removing his wrist shackles, leaving him only restrained by his neck. Johnny noticed his movement and yanked harshly on the chain, chuckling as he did so.

“Oi Jaehyun, sleeping beauty is up.”

Jaehyun sighed in relief.

“About time too - Taeyong wouldn’t have been pleased if his gift to his ‘precious brother’ was unconscious. Now stop messing around and let’s move. God knows what he’ll do if we’re late.’

Johnny detached the chain from the wall and pulled it, forcing Mingi to move forward. Slowly he was dragged out of the carriage and into a courtyard that was surrounded on all sides by tall walls. Dread set in as Mingi realised he must’ve been taken right into the centre of the Aurora’s territory, the castle from which their king reigned.

Instinctively he started to struggle against his captors, grappling with the chain in an effort to escape. Chuckling, Johnny simply tugged sharply, causing him to fall to the floor, wincing as his bruised chest hit the ground. 

“None of that now, you’ve been such a good boy so far, why ruin it by acting up now?”

Mingi ignored him and continued to struggle, earning nothing but a violent kick in the ribs for his troubles. In crippling pain, he could do little to resist as he was dragged into the castle, head hung low in humiliation as people stopped to watch him pass. Johnny stopped in front of a set of heavy wooden doors, pushing them open and pulling him inside.

Mingi shivered as a rush of cold air hit him, rattling the weight of the chains which forced him down and scraped along the unyielding stone slabs. The noise ghosted around the room, echoing from the bare walls. Cold fingers of light barely reached through the arching windows to grasp at him as he was dragged down the center of the room, towards three thrones that jutted out from the floor. 

On one lounged Taeyong (Mingi inadvertently shuddered at the sight.) He was draped over his seat, a lazy smirk present on his face. On the far left there was another figure, the imposing throne he was rooted upon contrasted his smaller stature. His red hair spilled over his forehead, darkening his eyes. Unlike Taeyong he was sat rigidly and looked almost uncomfortable. For a second Mingi thought he saw a flash of pity cross his face, but it was quickly wiped smooth by cold disinterest.

The King was sat in the centre, his intimidating face contorted into a smug smile. 

Taeyong jumped down from his throne and made his way towards the prisoner. Grabbing Mingi’s chain, he harshly yanked him to the middle of the room. 

“Did you miss me baby?” He muttered in the prince’s ear, “I hope you’ve been a good boy for your guards.”

Mingi glowered at him, but Taeyong began to speak again before he could reply. 

“Father, Brother, may I present to you the spoils from my latest raid. Whilst Albia may be a piss poor kingdom, it is famed for one thing, their national treasure, their ‘golden prince.’

Taeyong grabbed Mingi’s hair, painfully forcing his head up. 

“This man right here managed to wipe out over half of my elite guard, making what should’ve been an easy conquest a bloodbath. He’s a fighter alright, but even he couldn’t withstand the raw might of the Aurora.”

Taeyong smiled sharply at the other younger man.

“Hongjoong dear, I missed your birthday whilst I was away. So, to make up for it I’ve bought you a present you simply can’t refuse. The golden prince of Albia as your own personal bitch.”

That was too much for Mingi. After being beaten, degraded, and humiliated, he finally snapped, spitting in Taeyong’s face, hard.

“Fuck you, you bastard. I’m no one’s dog, and I’ll die before I let you treat me like one. You and your scumbag guards can rot in hell for all I care.”

Rage filled Taeyong’s face as Mingi frantically strained against his restraints in an effort to break free. Another kick to the abdomen stopped him, his own body betraying him as he collapsed onto the cold stone floor. But Taeyong didn’t stop there. Kick after kick rained down on Mingi’s body. All he could hear was blood pounding in his ears and his own wheezing, the pain so all encompassing he could barely breathe. Once Taeyong was satisfied he forced Mingi back up onto his knees.

“Stupid bitch, speaking out of turn. If only you were mine, I would beat you to within an inch of your life until you beg for mercy like the slut you are. You better learn to watch your mouth kitten”

A soft voice interrupted Taeyong’s threats.

“You shouldn’t play with other people’s toys Yongie. He’s mine now and I’ll punish him accordingly. Now step away from him, he is my gift after all.”

Taeyong grinned wickedly,

“You’re right Joongie, I’m sorry for lashing out – he’s all yours.”

With one final smirk Taeyong returned to his throne, leaving the tall boy huddled pathetically on the floor. Hongjoong gestured to a stoic man standing behind him.

“Yunho take him away and clean him up – I’ll deal with him later.”

Yunho grimaced but did as commanded, grasping Mingi with surprisingly gentle hands and leading him out of the room. The last thing Mingi saw before the door closed was a look of absolute boredom wash over Hongjoong’s face. With a sinking feeling he realised things may just have gone from bad to worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers : I promise Hongjoong is nice


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is highkey trash, but so am I. 
> 
> Also Answer SOTY.

Yunho was silent as he led Mingi through a maze of endless, identical corridors. The younger man was still struggling to accept his new reality as shock coursed through his body and thoughts rushed through his head.

Eventually they reached a small wooden door that Yunho opened without bothering to knock. Inside was a cramped room that seemed to act as the infirmary, with a bed to one side and shelves lining the walls, crammed with jars full of various dried herbs. The room was obviously well used, the small table in its centre covered in well thumbed books and frantically scribbled notes.

Sitting next to the bed was a tall man. Mingi’s breath stuck in his throat when his eyes met the stranger’s, the man was breathtaking. His face looked like it had been carved from porcelain, complete with statuesque features and blonde hair that complemented his golden complexion. However, at the sight of Mingi’s injuries, a frown marred his beautiful face.

“I’m assuming this is the prince then, Yunho? Quickly, put him on the bed - he looks like he’s about to collapse.”

Yunho supported Mingi as he hobbled over to the bed, easing him onto his back.

“Hongjoong asked me to bring him to you Seonghwa, he seems pretty badly injured. Taeyong’s done a number on his ribs, and he enjoyed it like the sadistic bastard he is. There are probably other issues as well - he’s in a really bad way.”

Seonghwa hummed thoughtfully before replying.

“Alright you get back to Hongjoong, gods know what he’ll do if you’re not there to reign him in. I’ll look after Prince Mingi here and try and explain the situation to him. And tell Hongjoong that if he’s overworking himself again I won’t hesitate to knock him out so that he can actually get some rest”

Agreeing with a chuckle, Yunho left, leaving Mingi alone with the doctor (although what doctor diagnosed physical violence as a treatment?) 

Seonghwa walked over to the bed, a pitying look on his face.

“I’m so sorry your majesty, I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now. Ripped from everything you know and care about, thrust into a foreign place full of hatred, stripped of all dignity and power. However, no matter how awful the situation is, you must try and endure it - you can’t let this place break you.”

Mingi stared at the doctor in confusion, but found only genuine sympathy in his gaze. 

“Call me Mingi,” He said hesitantly, “I don’t deserve any title. I… I was meant to protect my people, they were relying on me to defend their homes. I was their last hope, I was meant to be someone people can rely on… I barely put up a fight. I’m no prince, just a coward, and now I’m just someone’s filthy dog. It’s almost what I deserve.”

To his surprise Seonghwa laughed.

“If by barely put up a fight you mean wipe out a good hundred of Taeyong’s elite guard, then sure. There’s a reason he’s treating you so cruelly, this behaviour is beyond even his natural sadistic tendencies. You’ve humiliated him in front of both his father and his men, and that’s something he won’t stand for.” 

The doctor smiled at him kindly, “Now let me examine your wounds, you’ve suffered a lot recently and it’s obvious you’re in pain.”

Seonghwa was gentle as he checked Mingi’s injuries, wincing when he saw the state of his chest.

“You’re lucky, your ribs don’t seem to be fractured which is good. However your torso is severely bruised and the skin has split. I’m going to have to clean the wound to prevent infection, I’m sorry but this is going to sting.”

The fact it was healing him didn’t make Seonghwa’s ministrations any less painful and for the third time that day Mingi found his body inadvertently curling up in agony. Before long he had lapsed back into a now almost familiar state of unconsciousness.

\---------

Mingi woke to a room full of hushed voices and quiet conversation.

“How’s he doing?” A soft voice the prince recognised as Yunho’s asked.

“He’ll be alright,” Seonghwa replied, “He’s been through emotional and physical hell these last few days, losing his mother, his people and his kingdom, and then ending up here of all places. That’s not even mentioning the poor state his body’s in. But despite that I think he’ll be ok – he’s a fighter. You can see it in his eyes.”

“I can’t imagine how he feels, poor thing. But it’s Taeyong I’m most worried about, he’s really out to get him.”

“Well we’ll just have to look out for him as much as possible then. You know how Hongjoong is with strays, he’ll have taken one look at Mingi and vowed to protect him, just like he did for the rest of us.”

Mingi almost scoffed at that. Protect him? The Hongjoong he’d met in the throne room seemed more likely to greet him with a fist than with a smile.

Seonghwa must’ve noticed Mingi shifting, cutting off the conversation to move to his side.

“Hey, how’re you feeling? I hope we didn’t wake you, but Yunho’s bought some food and clothes for you if you think you can face sitting up.”

“Thank you,” he said quietly, accepting the water and bread Seonghwa passed him gratefully. It wasn’t exactly a feast, but at this point he would be grateful to be given scraps.

Once he’d finished with the food Seonghwa passed him a bundle of clothing and helped him behind a screen to change and wash. Something heavy formed in Mingi’s chest when he noticed the only clothing he’d been given was a long linen tunic. 

When Seonghwa noticed the lack of trousers he swore angrily under his breath.

“Fuck Mingi I’m so sorry. These clothes are from Taeyong, the pervert. I swear he and his men get off on other people’s humiliation. You’re lucky Hongjoong’s birthday fell whilst he was away, otherwise he would have claimed you as his. I’m sure Hongjoong won’t hesitate to give you more clothing, you won’t even have to ask.

Mingi wasn’t sure what to make of this man he’d heard so much about. From what he’d seen of him he’d been cold and unfeeling, but maybe the flashes of panic and pity he’d seen in his eyes hadn’t been the result of an overactive imagination. Mingi knew he was too trusting, but if Seonghwa (a man who had shown him nothing but kindness) thought Hongjoong was a good man, then maybe he was.

Behind him Yunho cleared his throat, a sheepish look on his face.

“Before we go, there’s one more thing you have to wear.”

With a mix of sympathy and disdain Yunho passed Seonghwa a thick leather collar with a metal ring attached to its front. 

“You probably haven’t noticed, but in this castle all servants are marked with their status.” Yunho bared his neck, showing off the delicate gold band that lay there. “Even the highest-ranking warriors and servants are collared as both a mark of ownership and rank, the more powerful you are, the less obvious the mark.”

Seonghwa nodded in agreement, showing off his slightly thicker silver band. 

“I’m less senior than Yunho and that’s reflected by a silver band as opposed to gold, as well as by the relative thickness. Very few people in this castle are ranked high enough to be gold, Yunho is one of an elite few.”

Mingi looked down at the leather band in Seonghwa’s hand and laughed bitterly.

“I’m assuming leather doesn’t reflect a very high rank then.”

Seonghwa winced, refusing to look Mingi in the eye.

“Leather is reserved solely for those who are owned body and soul by a member of the royal family. They’re essentially the lowest of the low. It’s been a while since we last had someone who wore this.”

Seonghwa finally met Mingi’s gaze, his eyes full of genuine pity.

“I’m sorry Mingi, no one deserves this, especially not someone who’s known for their kindness and humility. But don’t forget you’re not alone - Hongjoong, Yunho, and I can try and protect you as much as possible, plus as I said earlier, you don’t strike me as the sort of person to be easily beaten.”

Yunho nodded in agreement.

“Whilst you’re by our side we can shield you from most people in the castle. But make sure to keep your wits about you - I’m convinced that some of the people in this building were born lacking their humanity.”

Whilst Mingi was contemplating these words Yunho carefully locked the collar around his neck. Mingi turned to look at himself in the mirror, almost retching at his unfamiliar reflection. The tunic he wore hung down to the middle of his tanned thighs, doing nothing to cover the dark bruises already forming there. The collar was a brand against his skin. Even the face looking back at him was barely recognisable, his cheeks sunken and the passion that was normally present in his eyes totally swamped by tiredness.

Yunho’s soft voice interrupted his train of thought, 

“I’m sorry Mingi, but we have to go now.”

“Okay,” he beamed at Seonghwa, attempting to pull together the last threads of his strength. “Thank you for tending to my wounds and looking after me. I’ve been here for less than a day, but I can already tell that kindness isn’t a common trait around here.”

Seonghwa smiled gently at his words.

“I’ve no clue how you’re still standing, let alone saying such sweet things. Promise me you won’t let this place ruin you. Now both of you better go, otherwise you’ll be in trouble.”

Yunho lead him from the room and down another identical stone corridor. Before long he stopped in front of another room, letting himself in without hesitation.

It was pretty obvious that these were Hongjoong’s quarters, everything from the large bed with silk sheets to the colourful tapestries hinted at the room belonging to royalty. It shocked Mingi slightly to realise this was the first proper colour he’d seen in the castle – a stark contrast to home where every room was dripping with bright draperies and decorations.

Walking into the room, Yunho sighed when he noticed something by the bed. Mingi followed his line of sight to see a chain attached to the wall. It didn’t take a genius to work out what it was for.

“I think we’re past apologies at this point, but I honestly didn’t think Taeyong would be this bad. I’m sorry but I think it’s best if I chain you up, just for tonight. There’s a possibility he might come and check, and it’ll be better if his orders are obeyed.”

Yunho looked so forlorn Mingi almost felt bad for him. 

“It’s okay, believe it or not I’ve slept in worse places than this, I’m sure I’ll survive.”

Relief washed over Yunho’s face, and he wasted no time in attaching the chain to the collar on Mingi’s neck.

“Even if you have slept on worse, I’ll at least try and get some blankets or something for you. I’ll be back in a minute.”

As soon as Yunho left the room Mingi collapsed on the floor, propping himself up against the bed. His body felt like lead as the exertion of the last few days finally sank in. It took minutes for sleep to overcome him, and he blissfully slipped into its dark embrace.

\------

Yunho carefully cracked open Hongjoong’s door, making sure he didn’t scare Mingi. Preparing to call out to the younger man, he was unprepared for the sight that greeted him. In the short time he’d been gone the prince had already fallen unconscious, curled up in a ball by the side of Hongjoong’s bed. Yunho marvelled at the Mingi’s ability to make himself seem so small, it shouldn’t have been possible for someone so tall to make themselves seem so tiny and defenceless.

Smiling Yunho draped the blankets over him before quietly leaving the room. He’d only known Mingi for a few hours but somehow the prince sparked some primal protective instinct inside him. Hongjoong hadn’t met Mingi properly yet, but Yunho was certain he would feel the same overriding need to protect him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it, my motivation has been really low recently and I'd appreciate any feedback :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't have written this chapter without my beta, absolute legend that she is.
> 
> Disclaimer : I love Doyoung I swear

The first thing Mingi saw when he woke was a pair of eyes staring directly back at his. Instantly alert, he blindly shuffled away from the man who had been watching him sleep. However, he’d forgotten about his restraints and his attempt at flight was promptly cut off by sharp pressure around his neck.

“Shit, shit, shit, are you okay?” asked a frantic voice. “Please tell me you’re alright! You’re already so badly hurt- I don’t want you to get injured again.” The man reached out a hand reassuringly, treating Mingi with the concern of someone faced with an injured animal. “Seonghwa will have my head, he told me not to scare you. Crap I’m an idiot I’m really sorry.” 

Mingi blinked rapidly, his tired brain trying to process the onslaught of words. Now that he was sure he wasn’t in any imminent danger (as Mingi was pretty certain that most evil people didn’t apologise that much) he finally examined the person who had interrupted his sleep.

Sitting on the bed wearing a rumpled shirt was a familiar looking redhead. Suddenly much more awake, Mingi wondered why he was even surprised - it was Hongjoong’s bedroom after all, of course he would sleep in it. Yet the young man sitting on the bed looked very different from the person he’d met yesterday.

Cold indifference had been replaced with genuine concern, the expression softening his features and making him look years younger. Instead of a stony prince, the person staring back at him looked like a vulnerable young man.

“Please say something,” Hongjoong begged, “I’m starting to worry that that vulgar collar has damaged your vocal cords.”

“They’re fine. I’m not sure what you want me to say. I thought dogs were only meant to bark?” Everything about his situation made Mingi feel queasy, but thankfully the feeling seemed to be mutual. 

“I know no amount of apologising will make up for what you’ve suffered and nothing I can do will ever excuse my brother’s disgusting actions. However, I promise that while you’re here, staying with me, you will never be forced to do anything you don’t want to. You’re no dog, you’re a king. We are nothing but equals.”

Of all the things Mingi had been expecting to hear, a genuine apology wasn’t one of them. But if the look on Hongjoong’s face was anything to go by, he meant every word he said. Belatedly Mingi realised that the other was still speaking.

“I know I’m probably the last person you want to see right now, so I’ve left some proper clothes and food in the room next door. Please take as long as you need to get ready. I can give you this much at least.”

With that Hongjoong unlocked the chains from Mingi’s neck and gestured to a small antichamber connected to his room. Hesitantly Mingi walked into the smaller room, finding that there was in fact a pair of trousers and a surprising amount of food laid out on the table there.

Turning to thank the prince, he found the bedroom deserted - Hongjoong had been genuine in his offer of privacy. Thankfully, Mingi dressed and dug into the food; he hadn’t realised quite how hungry he’d been. 

Before long the plates were clear and Mingi slumped onto a chair in exhaustion. Just as he was starting to doze off again, Hongjoong returned, this time holding a thin silver chain in his hand. A slight smile graced the smaller man’s lips at the sight of Mingi dozily draped across his chair, face free of tension for the first time since they’d met. Hongjoong instantly felt guilty as he knew he was about to shatter the fragile sense of peace that had settled over the room.

“I’m glad to see you’ve eaten, you already look a bit better.”

The softly spoken words broke Mingi from his stupor as he noticed Hongjoong’s presence. Feeling the need to fill the awkward silence, Mingi spoke up hesitantly. 

“Thank you for the food, and for the trousers. They’re really comfortable.” 

A grin spread over Hongjoongs face, the brightness of it startling Mingi.

“I’m glad you like them!” He exclaimed. “I made them from the last of some Draclyn cotton a while back, but they were too big for anyone other than Yunho but he wears his uniform most of the time. I just thought you’d need something light and breathable if you were going to be wearing them a lot and…”

Of all the things Mingi had imagined Hongjoong to be, a clothes-loving fanatic had not been one of them. Halting his internal musings, Mingi noticed the other man’s face had clouded over with a frown, so he tuned back into what he was saying.

“.. of course that reminds me, I did actually have a reason for returning so quickly. I’m sorry you had to endure my rambling, it’s a bad habit I can’t break.”

Hongjoong sent Mingi an apologetic look, before hesitantly raising the chain that he’d been nervously fiddling with.

“Taeyong was kind enough to give me another gift this morning. In his words: ‘a pretty lead for a pretty dog.’” The way Hongjoong bitterly spat out the sentence, making his own disgust evident, comforted Mingi. The shared discomfort in the room made the entire situation slightly more bearable.

“At least it’s fairly unobtrusive?” Mingi offered the softly spoken words as an olive branch to the older man, who looked about three seconds away from fleeing the room.

“I guess. It still doesn’t excuse how utterly inhumane this is, but I don’t really have a choice.”

Resignation settled over Hongjoong’s face as he clipped the chain onto Mingi’s collar, before attaching the other end to a metal loop on his belt.

“Now if you’re feeling up to it, There are some sections of the castle which I need to inspect this morning. It might be good if you accompanied me, to help you to get your bearings a bit. Plus, I’ve agreed to meet with Seonghwa for lunch if you’re interested?”

Mingi nodded, grateful that Hongjoong was kind enough to offer him a choice (even if he could only really say yes.) Despite the depressing nature of his situation, a small part of him was still eager to explore the castle, faint echoes of Jin’s dramatic fantasy stories playing in his head. He’d never left the safety of his own kingdom before, and even the collar around his neck wasn’t quite enough to curb the curiosity swelling up inside him. 

Hongjoong smiled gratefully, offering a hand to help him stand. Up close the height difference between the two of them was even more noticeable, and Mingi couldn’t help but shrink into himself  a little, hating how gangly and graceless he suddenly felt. The shorter man didn’t seem to notice, simply shooting him a smile and tugging on his hand, slowly leading him out of the room. 

The chain connecting them was long enough that he could trail a few steps behind Hongjoong without a problem, but any further and a pressure around his neck forced him to shuffle forward. Mingi didn’t want to think about how he looked, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground in front of his feet to avoid unwanted eye contact.

Hongjoong’s first stop was the kitchens, and Mingi stared in awe at the way he seamlessly integrated himself with the kitchen staff, laughing at their jokes and joining in with their harmless teasing. Mingi might have well have been invisible, totally ignored as Hongjoong artfully settled a dispute between the head cook and a manservant, whilst also listening to concerns about the living situations of the lower kitchen staff. He wielded words like a weapon, and by the time they left had somehow placated most of the serving staff, whilst also striking a deal with the head chef about new supplies. 

Slightly in shock, Mingi trailed after the elder as they left the kitchen. 

“How did you do that? You just manipulated an entire room full of people to do what you wanted, and none of them even realised.”

Hongjoong seemed startled by his observation, letting out a small laugh.

“I wouldn’t call it manipulation. It’s more like I know these people, I’ve grown up surrounded by them, and I know what to say to get results that benefit everyone. Anyway, my requests are normally harmless, I just want a better life for people at the bottom of the pecking order. I think the chef would rather sell his soul to me than have to spend ten minutes dealing with Taeyong.”

That Mingi could understand. He could happily live the rest of his life without seeing that odious man ever again.

The rest of the morning passed in a similar fashion, Mingi quietly trailing after Hongjoong as he traversed the palace, settling disputes just like he had in the kitchen and making quiet requests that the servants rushed to comply with. The taller boy felt himself begin to relax. Almost no one had acknowledged his presence, and anyone that did threw him looks of sadness and pity rather than the disgust and disdain he’d been expecting.

However Mingi’s stomach sank at the sight of the figure marching down the corridor to meet them, instinctively knowing his short-lived peace was over.

His name escaped Mingi, but the face was a familiar one. His mind flashed back to the last time he’d seen the man’s bunny-esque features, pulled into a similar conceited smirk. Back then he’d been at the end of his tether, ready to fight to the last breath to protect his people - now he was nothing more than a slave, a glorified pet.

Unaware of Mingi’s inner turmoil, Hongjoong greeted the man coldly.

“Doyoung, I hope the day is treating you well. I haven’t seen you since you got back from the last raid, too busy training replacement soldiers?”

Even Mingi cottoned onto the slight jibe Hongjoong had directed at Doyoung, and if the way the man stiffened in response was any sign, it was obvious he had as well.

“Well unfortunately Sire, not all of us get to sit around and play house all day. Some of us have important jobs to do, your highness. Real jobs.”

Doyoung's words were acidic, dripping with false sincerity. Mingi shivered as his cold eyes slid from Hongjoong’s face to his own, the man grinning like a predator sizing up its prey.

“Although I guess you have a dog to train now, learning to discipline this bitch will keep you occupied.” The man ran his eyes up and down Mingi’s frame appreciatively, before grabbing the boy’s chin, dragging his face down so that they were eye to eye. “Pretty little thing, isn’t he.” Mingi felt a finger trace over his lip and tried to pull away in disgust. Doyoung just smirked and tugged him closer. “Shame you felt the need to cover him up, I’m sure he would’ve looked delicious without those trousers. A slut like him deserves to be on display.” 

That was obviously the last straw for Hongjoong, who slapped Doyoung’s hand away from Mingi.

“Do not forget yourself, Doyoung. You may be my brother’s favourite, but I’m the prince. I’m the one in control. How would your precious Yongie react if he knew that you, his beloved second in command, was fucking a lowly guard behind his back, hmm?” Hongjoongs face broke into a malicious grin, almost scaring Mingi who moved to cower behind the shorter man whilst trying to fight the panic swelling in his chest.

“Now, how about you take your hands off what’s mine and remember your place? Come on Mingi, we’re leaving.”

Hongjoong grabbed a still hyperventilating Mingi’s hand, pulling him past a now ashen faced Doyoung who was too shocked to do anything but stutter. Helplessly, Mingi trailed after the smaller man as he was tugged down corridor after corridor. It was only when they reached a familiar wooden door that Hongjoong slowed to a stop, although he didn’t relax his grip on Mingi’s hand. He barged in to Seonghwa’s room, leading Mingi to idly wonder whether the kind doctor ever got frustrated at all the sudden interruptions. 

The man in question was sat at the small table in the center of the room, playing some form of card game with Yunho and someone whom Mingi didn’t recognise. All three of them turned to stare at the pair as they burst breathlessly into the room. Seonghwa fixed them both with an assessing glare, raising an eyebrow at Mingi’s disheveled appearance.

Hongjoong noticed his expression and winced.

“We ran into Doyoung.”

That seemed to be explanation enough, soft ah’s of realisation filling the room, swiftly followed by looks of concern.

“It’s alright, I stopped him before he could go too far, but I think Mingi’s pretty shaken.”

Yunho scoffed. 

“Can you blame him? I have to restrain myself from punching that man almost every time we talk. I never knew that someone could be so obnoxious, him and Taeyong are really made for each other. Come on Mingi, have a seat and rest for a minute. God knows you probably need the time to recover.” 

Mumbling words of thanks, the tall boy let Hongjoong lead him to a spare seat, quietly settling into it. Hongjoong watched as he curled into himself, attempting to take up as little space as physically possible. Their hands were still linked, and he found himself not wanting to let go. Mingi’s grip on him was slight, but definitely there, suggesting the younger boy was using the contact to ground himself.

If any of the other men in the room noticed this they were astute enough to not mention it, instead turning the conversation back to menial things like the (not so) secret affair between the head chef and king’s manservant. Despite the trivial nature of the gossip, Hongjoong was glad for the distraction it provided. Dealing with Doyoung was difficult on the best of days, and their recent encounter had left him particularly shaken. Thankfully the idle chatter created a calm atmosphere, and he felt Mingi begin to relax as their soft voices filled the room, the grip on his hand loosening slightly. 

As Mingi unwound, he finally turned his attention to the stranger. Similar to Seonghwa he had stunning statuesque features, with a red birthmark on the side of his face that only added to his unique beauty. A delicate copper band glinted around his neck. Maybe there was something in the water here, Mingi mused. All the people he’d met so far (even Taeyong, as much as he hated to admit it) had been abnormally handsome. He couldn’t help but feel even more insignificant and pathetic knowing he was surrounded by such beautiful men.

Hongjoong must’ve noticed his stare, as he nudged the unknown man in a not so subtle attempt to make him introduce himself. 

“Hi, I’m Yeosang.” The pretty man smiled softly, eyes crinkling slightly. “I’m one of the dancers that work here at the palace.”

Mingi perked up almost instantly at his words, 

“You dance?” he asked, the excitement clear in his voice. 

Yeosang nodded hesitantly, confused by his enthusiasm.

“I’ve been trained in many forms of entertainment, but I mainly dance. Why do you ask?”

Mingi looked almost sheepish as he replied, rubbing his arm and refusing to make eye contact with anyone but the floor.

“I used to dance, it was something I really enjoyed when I was younger. But I was a prince, and as I grew older such frivolous pastimes like dancing were deemed irrelevant and below me. My mother was quite insistent about that.”

Yeosang winced slightly as his tone became cold and despondent. It was blatantly obvious that this was a sore point for the tall boy. Hongjoong however only shook his head slightly, letting out a quiet laugh.

“I guess royal families are the same everywhere. If my father knew I would rather stab fabric with needles than people with swords, or that I prefer crafting music to battle plans, I would already be out on the street. It’s a good thing that I’m a competent fighter - it’s enough to stop him questioning me.”

Hongjoongs confession seemed to have shocked Mingi, who was staring at him with wide eyes. No one else seemed particularly surprised though, Yunho simply letting out a resigned sigh.

“I’ve told you time and time again Joongie, your father is a complete bastard, it shouldn’t matter how you live your own life.” 

“Well it does.” A bitter smile graced Hongjoong’s lips. “And anyway, if he didn’t think I was totally loyal to him I wouldn’t be able to keep you lot safe. At the end of the day, that’s the thing that matters most to me.”

His three friends blushed at his words, Yunho even leaning forward to gently slap him whilst muttering about how he was a cheesy idiot. A companionable silence filled the room, Mingi feeling the most at ease he had in weeks. He still knew almost nothing about these people, but was finding it increasingly difficult to believe that they held any malicious intent towards him.

A few moments passed before Yeosang broke the silence, his voice full of quiet contemplation.

“You know Mingi, whilst you may have been a prince before, you’re technically nothing here.”

The man in question flinched at his blunt words, a look of panic crossing Yeosangs face as what he’d just said fully registered.

“Oh god, I don’t mean that in a mean way. It’s just before, you were expected to live your life a certain way, but here your only purpose is to obey Hongjoong. And if Hongjoong orders that he wants his ‘pet’ to be taught to dance, well, no one can argue with that.”

“That’s a really good idea Yeosang” Hongjoong agreed, “Plus it would mean Mingi wouldn’t be cooped up with me all day, and might actually get to meet some other decent people.” He turned to Mingi, a questioning look on his face. “Of course, that’s only if you’re interested? We’re not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to.” 

Mingi mulled over the idea in his head, failing to see any downsides. It had been so long since he last danced, just the possibility of feeling music vibrating through his body again was enough to make him want to agree. He smiled gently at Hongjoong, before turning to Yeosang.

“I... um... I would like that a lot. Thank you so much for the opportunity- I promise I won’t let you down.”

Yeosang felt his face flush slightly as he was exposed to the full force of Mingi’s thousand watt grin. This boy really had no idea how precious he was, did he? Even when dressed in a simple tunic, with bruises littering his tanned skin, he was still radiant. Thank the gods Taeyong hadn’t kept him for his own. The man would’ve enjoyed nothing more than slowly crushing Mingi’s spirit. 

The conversation returned to lighter topics, Yunho and Yeosang becoming deeply invested in a fierce debate about the superior type of pie. Feeling more at ease, Mingi occasionally chimed into the conversation with his own insights (that obviously fruit pies were superior to meat) whilst Seonghwa watched his friends argue with a fond expression.

Eventually the doctor got up to find some food for lunch. As Mingi dug into a cold venison pie (with Yunho and Yeosang still arguing in the background) he couldn’t help but feel that maybe, just maybe, everything would be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any feedback appreciated, I love reading people's opinions on my writing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the hardest chapter to write yet, but I just wanted to post it otherwise I'd never stop fiddling with it.

The next few days followed a similar routine, and unwittingly Mingi found himself falling into the rhythm of his new life. He still slept on the floor by Hongjoong’s bed, something the older man had continuously apologised for, yet Mingi was more comfortable there than he would be sharing with the other man. He also still found himself at the receiving end of lewd stares and crude whispers from men on Taeyong’s staff, including a few incredibly uncomfortable run ins with the prince himself.

However, these things were made tolerable by the afternoons spent in Seonghwa’s infirmary. It had become a habit for him to wait there whilst Hongjoong and Yunho went off to train, one of the two occasionally dropping by to check on him. Mingi filled the time by relentlessly quizzing Seonghwa about everything - from life in the palace to the different medicines shoved into the jars around his room. As he got to know the doctor better, Mingi found that he couldn’t help but open up to the man. Seonghwa never seemed annoyed by his constant bombardment of questions, and always took the time to patiently explain things to him. It was through these conversations that Mingi began to learn more about his new companions.

Over time Mingi pieced together that Seonghwa used to be a simple citizen of The Aurora’s home nation. His parents had been struggling financially and had ended up borrowing money from unsavoury places, and when they were unable to repay their loans they had offered Seonghwa up as collateral. 

By some twist of fate, a much younger Hongjoong had been nearby at the time, training with some of the guards that patrolled the city. They heard the commotion and came to investigate, the prince instantly intervening once he’d taken stock of the situation, saving an incredibly distressed Seonghwa. Hongjoong had brought the older man back to the castle, and after spending some time with him he’d offered Seonghwa a place on his staff. Determined to pay Hongjoong back, he had trained to become a doctor, eventually becoming one of the best in the kingdom.

After hearing all of this, Seonghwa’s behaviour around Hongjoong made much more sense. More often than not the tall blonde doctor could be heard muttering about how the prince was a ‘stupid, overworking idiot’ or an ‘insufferably stubborn workaholic’. To an outsider their friendship was a confusing phenomenon, but it didn’t take Mingi long to recognise it as their own unique brand of affection.

Through the hours spent together, Seonghwa also began to learn more about Mingi. The more time the doctor spent with the prince, the more he felt an overwhelming need to protect him. Despite his situation, Mingi still seemed to treat new things with his own type of childish excitement.

Normally Seonghwa would’ve kicked someone out of his infirmary the minute they started to pester him with questions, but the tall boy’s enthusiasm was infectious, and Seonghwa couldn’t help but smile as he talked him through the various uses of dried ginseng.

It was during one of these conversations that Mingi asked Seonghwa more about Hongjoong and Yunho. Despite his short time at the palace Mingi couldn’t help but notice the two men spent most of their time together, Yunho often dropping by to help with the daily palace inspections.

Seonghwa laughed at his observation, gently shaking his head.

“Hongjoong and Yunho are practically inseparable, and have been for as long as I’ve known them. Yunho is the son of the king’s lead general, so they grew up in the palace together. When I first arrived at the castle I actually thought they were lovers, but it turns out they’re just too obtuse to understand their own feelings.”

Confused, Mingi asked Seonghwa what he meant. The man let out a sigh, obviously fed up with the situation.

“Well you see, there’s an ongoing rumour among the servants here that they’re sleeping together, but as their friend, I know that’s not true. Those two are absolutely clueless about their own emotions, and although I suspect they like each other, you’d have to hit them both with a tonne of bricks before they realised.”

Mingi laughed quietly at Seonghwa’s visible exasperation. This was clearly a man on the edge. However, despite the humour of the situation, Mingi was surprised by the resentment he felt at the image of Hongjoong and Yunho together. For some reason imagining them in an intimate situation just didn’t sit well with him, and he felt himself flush at the idea. It wasn’t because they were both men, Mingi had accepted his own personal preferences a long time ago, he just couldn’t help the coiling in his gut as he thought about them. 

Seonghwa must’ve noticed something was up, as he checked over his injuries to make sure they weren’t bothering him. Mingi assured the doctor he was fine, watching fondly as the other man insisted that he sat down and fussed around him like a mother hen. The uncomfortable feeling dissipated as Mingi settled himself in a comfy chair, content to watch Seonghwa fret around him like the worrier he was. 

\-----

Seonghwa had grown so used to Mingi’s presence that he couldn’t help but feel sad when Yeosang appeared about a week after the prince’s arrival to announce that Mingi could come and meet the dance troop. 

Mingi’s eyes lit up at the suggestion, flashing Yeosang a gummy smile. He’d been waiting for this moment since the possibility had been mentioned, the thought of finally being able to dance again filling him with joy. 

His mother was a serious woman who had viewed frivolities such as dancing as being below the royal family. Despite her flaws, Mingi had loved the Queen, so when she asked him to stop his dancing he had obeyed her without question. However, a large part of him still missed the times when he used to spend hours lost in the music, able to leave his worries and responsibilities behind.

Eager to get started, Mingi happily followed Yeosang down the corridor, not even blinking as a chain was clipped to his collar. Considering how much time he spent with Seonghwa and the others, Hongjoong had deemed it necessary for them to all carry chains in case they wanted to take Mingi somewhere. No matter how things were behind closed doors, they still had to maintain appearances.

Despite familiarising himself with the palace over the last week, Mingi didn’t recognise the room that Yeosang lead him to. Unlike the rest of the cold, dark castle, large windows filled the room with a soft light. A tree outside cast gentle shadows on the floor, creating a dappled swirling effect. Racks of colourful costumes lined one wall, a large mirror another.

Sitting in the corner of the room by the costume rack was a small group of men, idly chatting. Yeosang greeted them softly, catching their attention.

“Hey guys! I bought someone special with me today.”

At Yeosang’s words the quiet atmosphere shattered as the room filled with various screeches, the group tearing across the floor towards them. Mingi had barely blinked before he was surrounded, the men effectively smothering him in their excitement.

“Is this him? Is this the prince?” said a voice right by Mingi’s ear. It was quickly accompanied by a clamour of other shouts.

“Woah he’s so tall! Jun this isn’t fair, why is he so tall?”

“Is it true you wiped out a hundred of Taeyong’s men with your bare hands?”

“Well I heard he challenged Doyoung to a duel and won, despite having five broken ribs.”

“Wow look at his thighs, hey Jimin come here, see how tanned and pretty he is.” 

Feeling someone grope his thighs was the final straw for Mingi, who let out a manly squeak before attempting to retreat behind Yeosang, using him as a human shield. Sensing his distress, Yeosang tried to calm the dancers.

“Seriously guys? Give him some room- it’s obvious you’re overwhelming him. Also Ten what the fuck have I told you about personal space? You can’t just go around groping people because you feel like it.”

“But Yeosangieeeeeee…” The petite man (who was clearly Ten) whined, “He has such muscular thighs, they’re basically begging to be squeezed.” 

Yeosang stared at Ten in despair, lost for words. Shaking his head, he turned back to face the taller boy.

“I’m sorry about them. They’re good people, just very excitable. Well mostly good... I can’t account for Ten.”

Ignoring Ten’s outraged screeches, Yeosang softly grasped Mingi’s hand, pulling him out from where he’d been cowering behind the older boy’s back. 

“Everyone, this is Mingi, although most of you seem to know that already. He’s going to be practicing with us for a bit on Hongjoong’s orders. Mingi, you already know Ten - he doesn’t normally molest people on sight, I promise. The two next to him are Jun and Minghao, they’re from a kingdom in the north that the Aurora took over a while ago, but they live in the palace now.”

The two men in question greeted Mingi enthusiastically, earning them a slightly scared, but genuine smile.

“Next up are Jungkook and Jimin who both hail from the same coastal town. And finally we have Taemin, he’s our leader and the only one who can control these idiots.”

A man Mingi hadn’t noticed yet (maybe because up until then he had been standing quietly away from all the chaos) let out a short laugh at Yeosang’s words.

“Well I’m not sure about that, Sangie. The day Ten actually listens to someone is the day the world truly ends.” 

Taemin slowly approached Mingi, obviously worried that he would scare him. Scanning his eyes up and down Mingi’s body he nodded, clearly pleased with what he saw.

“You look fit and healthy, and if you’re a swordfighter you’ll have a good stamina as well. Have you done any dancing before?”

“A little? I used to when I was younger, but things changed and I haven’t since…” Mingi’s words trailed off, uncomfortable under the other dancers intense scrutiny.

“Hmm, alright then. Why don’t you show us what you’ve got?”

Mingi stared at Taemin uncertainly, not sure what he was expecting. Yeosang unclipped his chain and kindly nudged him into the middle of the room. Picking up some form of flute, Yeosang began to play, filling the room with a sweet, lilting melody. As if possessed, Mingi found his limbs moving, his body remembering long forgotten moves as he lost himself to the music. 

Before he knew it the music had faded to a stop. The silence in the room was deafening, you could hear a pin drop. Suddenly shy, the tall boy drew back into himself, embarrassed.

“Was… was it no good? I’m so sorry it’s been so long since I last danced, I’m sure it’ll come back with practice, maybe I can –“

Yeosang waved his hands, effectively cutting the other boy off before he could spiral any further into his panicked ramble.

“No, no, no Mingi. We’re just surprised. You said that you danced, but you never said that you were that bloody good.”

Shocked, the prince turned to Taemin for confirmation, only to find the older man nodding along to Yeosang’s words.

“He’s right, you know. Sure, some of your moves were a bit rusty, but the fluidity of your body and the way you expressed the music? That’s something that normally takes years of practice to achieve.” 

Mingi felt himself fluster at the praise, a dark blush spreading across his face. Once more he found himself surrounded by excited dancers, this time cooing over how talented he was and how pretty he was when he was embarrassed. Resigned to his fate, Mingi let them crowd around him, glaring daggers at Yeosang who had given up trying to stop them and was simply laughing in the background. Despite how clingy the other dancers were, Mingi begrudgingly realised that he could get used to this.

\------

Hongjoong and Yunho had just finished training for the day when they decided to drop in and see how Mingi’s dancing was going. Yeosang had mentioned earlier how excited the other dancers were to meet the prince. Knowing full well how intense the group of men could be, Hongjoong could only pray that Mingi was still in one piece.

They entered the room to a blast of warm air, and a strange mix of music and cheering. The dancers had formed a tight circle in the middle of the room, leading the two men closer in an attempt to see what was inside. 

Hongjoong almost wished that he hadn’t looked. Mingi was caught up in the music, alone in the centre of the circle with every eye fixed on him as he burnt his image into the watchers’ retinas. Swaying sensually from side to side, his movements were somehow both graceful and powerful. Passion rolled off him in waves. Mingi looked thoroughly debauched, the sweat trickling down his tanned skin from his exertion leading Hongjoong’s mind to envision him in certain other situations. He watched the slow roll of Mingi’s body unable to stop the heat that was pooling in his groin, and from the look on Yunho’s face, the other wasn’t faring much better.

The song came to an end, Mingi’s movements faltering slightly as he noticed the intense gaze of the two men lingering at the edge of the room. A smile spread across his face as he bounded across the room to greet them. Hongjoong struggled to reconcile the image of the mature dancer he’d just been watching with the excitable young man in front of them, who had instantly started to ramble about how much he’d missed dancing. The feeling of affection that washed over him was unexpected but undeniable, and it was accompanied by a fierce desire to protect Mingi from harm. 

Yunho watched affectionately as Mingi described the various things Taemin had taught him. It was undeniable that in the short time they’d known him, Mingi had made himself a permanent fixture in the man's life, his beagle like attitude and endearing clumsiness brightening his days.

Even the dance troupe (who had known him for less than an hour) clearly liked him. Ten enveloped him in a goodbye hug, clinging to him tightly, whilst the other men waved their farewells. The trio left the room to happy shouts, Mingi feeling more relaxed than he had in weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you thought of this chapter in the comments and thank you for reading :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I M A L I V E. 
> 
> Sorry for disappearing my motivation for writing is just super low right now and life is kinda a bit shit. But!!! this was a chapter I've been wanting to right since I first came up with this concept, so I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Huge thanks to my beta for educating me about sword fighting, something I know absolutely nothing about.

The morning after Mingi’s first dance lesson began the same as always. Hongjoong rose early, bathing and dressing himself before heading out for a morning run. By the time he returned Mingi had finally dragged himself into consciousness and the two of them ate a simple breakfast together, quiet conversation flowing easily between them.

Whilst eating, Hongjoong made an announcement that surprised Mingi.

“I know you were excited to continue with your dance lessons today, but there has been a last minute change of plan. The king needs the dance troupe to entertain a foreign ambassador this afternoon, and Seonghwa is out seeing a patient, meaning you’re going to have to come with me and Yunho to training.”

Hongjoong couldn’t help but feel guilty at the mix of fear and disappointment that filled Mingi’s face.

“I’m really sorry, I know how excited you were to dance more, but it can’t be helped. I promise Yunho and I will train separately today, so at least you won’t have to worry about the other guards.”

Mingi shuddered at the thought of some of the leering faces that had greeted him around the castle. He was grateful to Hongjoong for continually trying to ensure his comfort; the smaller man really seemed to care about his wellbeing. 

Having eaten, the two men made their customary rounds of the castle, Hongjoong smoothly dealing with issues as Mingi cracked small jokes or asked quiet questions by his side. As the days passed Mingi found himself becoming familiar with some of the friendlier palace servants, many of whom greeted him with smiles and waves. 

However, for every amiable person there were still plenty of hostile ones, and Mingi felt relieved when the morning’s tasks were complete. Despite Hongjoong’s best efforts, he couldn’t protect Mingi from everyone and the taller man still had to deal with plenty of catcalling and a few particularly bold wandering hands.

Hongjoong left Mingi with Yunho for lunch, excusing himself as he had a meeting with his father. The two men passed the time with laughter and small talk (or at least Mingi talked, Yunho mostly just watched him ramble, trying to fight the affection swelling in his chest.) 

Before long Hongjoong had returned and the three of them set off to the training rooms. During his time at the palace Mingi had never entered this particular wing of the castle, and the two older men watched with fond amusement as he tried to take it all in. 

The room they were training in was a simple space, with various weapons lined up on a rack to one side, and an open space for fighting in the centre. Mingi took a seat on the floor by the weapons rack, making sure he wasn’t in the way.

Yunho and Hongjoong started with some simple stretches and exercises, both men removing excess clothing leaving them wearing simple tunics and leggings. After they were sufficiently warmed up a silent agreement seemed to pass between them as they both grabbed wooden swords to practice their sparring with.

Within a few minutes Mingi was glad he knew they weren’t using real weapons. Despite it being training both men were fighting like their lives depended on it, attacking, blocking and parrying with unbelievable speed. Mingi felt his hand twitch in longing, it had been a while since he’d last had the opportunity to train against people with this level of skill.

Fighting back the urge to join in, Mingi slumped against the wall. He was a prisoner, and even Hongjoong wouldn’t be lenient enough to arm him. Resigned to watching Mingi became transfixed by the fight. Exertion was causing both Yunho and Hongjoong to sweat, making their tanned skin glisten. The thin fabric clung to their bodies, accentuating Yunho’s muscular form and Hongjoong’s lithe figure. Mingi had to make a conscious effort not to stare.

The pair were evenly matched, resulting in a fight that was testing both of their staminas, the two men panting in exertion.

Eventually Hongjoong made a small mistake, leaving his left side open and allowing Yunho to attack and gain the upper hand, tripping him up then pinning him to the floor. Hongjoong let out a small laugh at his defeat, tapping Yunho’s on the shoulder so he would get off him.

“Alright fine, you win this one you big doofus.” Turning to the other man Hongjoong smiled. 

“What did you think, Mingi? Did we put on a good show?”

Mingi hadn’t expected to be asked for an opinion, but he smiled happily before replying.

“You’re both so skilled! It’s been a while since I last fought but your technique is better than anything I’ve seen before. It makes me miss my sparring sessions.”

Yunho blushed slightly at the praise, sheepishly thanking him. However, Hongjoong said nothing, staring at Mingi thoughtfully instead. Finally a thought seemed to occur to him as a slight smile crossed his face.

“Who says you can’t spar? It’s only me and Yunho in here, the door is locked and I trust you not to suddenly turn on us. Anyway, I’d like to see the legendary fighting of Albia’s golden prince in person.”

Mingi didn’t know whether to blush at the praise or to laugh from the excitement. He instantly nodded. For a long time sparring with his men had been his only solace when he was no longer allowed to dance, and being offered the opportunity to train again was a blessing.

Chuckling at Mingi’s enthusiasm, Yunho was struck by an idea.

“Hey, why don’t we make this a bit more interesting? It's been a while since I last sparred with my actual sword, I could do with some practice. And I saw the way you were eyeing up the weapons rack when we entered the room, Mingi. I bet you miss the feel of proper metal under your palm. Let’s see what damage you can do with a real blade.”

“Are you sure this is okay?” Mingi asked, searching Hongjoong’s face for reassurance. “I wouldn’t want either of you to get in trouble because of me.”

The concern in Mingi’s voice made Hongjoong smile; this man would be the death of him.

“Mingi sweetheart, I promise it’s fine. We could both see how eager you were to join in earlier. Plus, it would be stupid of us to not take advantage of being able to practice with someone as skilled as you.”

Reassured (and a little flustered at the pet name,) Mingi walked over to the weapon rack, gently running a hand over the handles of various blades. After a moment's hesitation he picked up a simple sword, grasping the handle and giving it an experimental swing, allowing his body to get used to its weight and balance.

Both Yunho and Hongjoong were quick in selecting their weapons, the former choosing a katana - a lightweight double bladed sword, whilst the latter picked a heavy longsword, something which required both strength and practice to use effectively. 

Yunho also tossed Mingi a padded leather jacket too put on, allowing him some level of protection from the dangerous blades.

Mingi and Yunho stepped forward, moving to the middle of the room, Hongjoong seemingly content to observe for the minute. Yunho wrapped his hand around his sword’s handle, eyeing up Mingi with a gaze so cold and assessing that it made the younger shudder. Without warning the guard swung at Mingi’s shoulder, the prince barely managing to parry the attack. Eyes narrowing, Mingi attempted to swing back, but found his attack blocked as Yunho cut through the air, moving to stop the metal of his sword. However, Mingi twisted at the last moment, delivering his blow on the opposing side, blade flashing in Yunho’s hand as he rushed to stop the move, just barely blocking the attack.

The older man’s eyes widened and he smirked, enjoying the unexpected challenge the younger was presenting. 

Yunho moved forward, using the advantage of his sword’s greater reach to force Mingi back. The pair exchanged blow after blow as they swirled across the room, a whirlwind of power perforated by sharp ringing. Yunho seemed to have the upper hand, his brute force driving Mingi back towards the corner of the room. Just as it seemed the younger would have to concede, Mingi performed a feint, slashing at Yunho’s thigh. Out of nowhere Hongjoong appeared, intercepting the attack and filling the room with the sharp squeal of metal on metal as Mingi’s sword was forced downwards. Caught by surprise, Yunho staggered backwards away from his companions.

Hongjoong and Mingi locked eyes as they sized each other up. Turning to Yunho, Hongjoong smirked.

“That was quite a show you put on there. But don’t worry, you can leave the rest to me.”

Unphased by Hongjoong’s words, Mingi placed the tip of his sword on the shorter’s chest, using it to force him back. Hongjoong’s eyes sparked with interest and he wasted no time in slapping away the sword, before launching into a flurry of movement. Mingi moved to stab at Hongjoong’s side, causing him to stumble, however he soon recovered and began to match the other blow for blow. 

They moved fluidly, like dancers, Mingi spinning to gain the momentum to slash at Hongjoong who evaded the blades reach by slipping to the side. Moving confidently, the elder aimed a blow at Mingi’s shoulder, the younger just managing to get his sword up in time to deflect the hit. The blades slid against each other to the hilt, leaving the two men centimeters apart, delight in both of their eyes. 

Mingi broke the stalemate with a shove, causing Hongjoong to lose his balance. Taking advantage of his opponent’s moment of weakness, the younger attacked. Unprepared, Hongjoong stumbled backwards and fell to the floor, defenceless. Mingi pinned him down using his sword, adrenaline coursing through his veins as resignation crossed Hongjoong’s face in acknowledgment of his defeat.

“Well damn, turns out you are as good as they say Mingi, you’ve definitely got me beat.”

“I’m not so sure about that.” Mingi said sheepishly as he helped Hongjoong up from the floor. “You’re agility is amazing, and I can’t come close to matching Yunho’s raw power.”

Yunho blushed at the compliment from where he’d been observing the fight at the side. 

“You’re lethal Mingi” He commented. “Although I would like to see how you’d fair against both of us at once. But maybe another day, you look pretty tired.” 

Laughing slightly Mingi nodded, he barely had the energy to stretch out his tired muscles before he collapsed on the floor, exhausted. His motion caused the hem of his shirt to ride up his stomach, revealing an expanse of tanned skin and toned muscle that Hongjoong and Yunho couldn’t help but stare at. Mingi tired gaze was fixed on the ceiling, leaving him completely unaware of the hungry eyes observing him - almost like the gaze of predators watching their prey.

Yunho managed to snap himself out of it first, nudging Hongjoong and then shivering when the shorter man’s eyes shifted to him instead. Yunho found himself transfixed by the prince’s gaze, there was a certain darkness in it that almost made him dizzy from a strange mix of fear and arousal. Not wanting to break the eye contact, Yunho stared back, drinking in the image of the thoroughly dishevelled man in front of him. 

On the floor Mingi had moved from watching the ceiling to observing his companions. As a fairly isolated child and teen Mingi knew he was oblivious and a little naive, but even he could see the sexual tension between the prince and his guard. Mingi felt a foreign emotion shift in his chest, one he’d only felt a few times before when the pair in front of him were involved. It felt a little like heartburn or nausea, but Mingi couldn’t even begin to figure out what it meant.

Finally he couldn’t take it any longer, getting to his feet and effectively shattering the weird tension that filled the room. His movements seemed to snap the other two out of the state they were caught in, both of them quickly starting to tidy up whilst talking loudly to each other, making a valiant effort to ignore the last few minutes. Once the room was cleared, the three men made their way back to Hongjoong’s chambers where Yunho left them to make himself more presentable.

Hongjoong decided to draw himself a bath (something which he refused to let a servant do for him, as was customary) so whilst he was waiting for his turn to wash, Mingi let himself doze slightly in the pile of cushions and blankets that Hongjoong had used to create a bed for him. He’d barely drifted off when he felt a gentle hand on his wrist and heard Hongjoong’s soft voice telling him that he could go and wash. 

Half asleep, Mingi cleaned himself, slipping on the clean clothes Hongjoong had left in the washroom and marvelling at how soft they were. Sleepily, he traipsed back into the bedroom, only mildly surprised to find that Yunho had returned and was sitting with Hongjoong by the room’s open fire. Looking up, Hongjoong gestured for Mingi to come and join them. The taller man obliged, walking over to the fire and (too tired to care otherwise) sinking to the floor by Hongjoong’s side. 

If either of the two men were surprised by Mingi’s actions, neither let it show. Only half listening to their conversation, Mingi let the exhaustion of the day wash over him and the warm room and gentle voices lull him to sleep. He was on the brink of consciousness when he felt a hand start to gently play with his hair. Subconsciously he leant into the touch, enjoying the soothing feeling and the comforting warmth radiating from the person’s hand. Feeling relaxed and protected it didn’t take Mingi long to slip into a deep slumber. 

Above him Hongjoong’s hand faltered slightly when he noticed that the younger man had fallen asleep. Hesitantly he continued the motion, careful that he didn’t wake Mingi up, but enjoying the feeling of his hair between his fingers too much to stop. Across from him, Yunho had also noticed Mingi’s unconscious state, fondness filling his gaze as he watched the slow rise and fall of his chest. 

“We should probably let him rest properly.” Hongjoong whispered. “Can you help me lift him onto the bed? I can’t stand the idea of him spending one more night on the floor, even with all the cushions.” 

Yunho nodded, moving to Hongjoong’s side and helping him to gently lift the sleeping man across the room and onto Hongjoong’s bed. Seemingly exhausted, Hongjoong also slumped back across the sheets, causing Mingi to instinctively snuggle into his side, resting his head against the shorter man’s chest. 

In a moment of weakness Yunho couldn’t help but stand and admire the sight in front of him. Seeing Hongjoong and Mingi curled around each other like that caused feelings that he had been trying to squash for a long time to rear their heads. And when Hongjoong held out an arm, clearly inviting Yunho to join them, who was he to refuse? When it came down to it, Yunho was a weak, weak man for those he cared about. Gently laying down on Mingi’s other side, Yunho shared a small smile with Hongjoong before wrapping his arms around Mingi’s torso and allowing himself to drift off to sleep.

And in that room, at that moment, all three of them slept - warm, protected and uncaring of the cruel world waiting outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you thought in the comments :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lets just pretend I didn't dissappear for two months.
> 
> Trigger warning, brief description of a panic attack towards the end of the chapter - if you skip it there's no real consequence to the plot, it's mostly fluff.
> 
> Hope you like the chapter (I'm sorry Taeyong I keep doing you dirty.)

Mingi awoke to the sound of someone frantically knocking on Hongjoong’s door. Barely conscious, he chose to ignore the noise in favour of enjoying the warmth of the bodies around him, not awake enough to question why they were there. It was only when the door opened and a shocked cry filled the room that Mingi forced himself to sit up.

Seonghwa stood in the doorway, his surprised expression quickly changing to a barely concealed grin as he took in the sight in front of him. Mingi felt someone stirring by his side as Hongjoong sleepily sat up, glaring at Seonghwa with tired confusion.

“Hwa? What do you want - it’s too early for this.” As Hongjoong spoke Mingi noticed that the other body in the bed was also moving, turning to look as Yunho groggily opened his eyes and smiled softly at him. 

Seonghwa wasn’t even trying to hide his smirk at this point, openly sniggering at his friends.

''I  _ had _ been wondering if Yunho would like to join me for breakfast,'' his eyes cut to where Yunho lay ''But imagine my surprise when I found his bed empty and unslept in. Being a good citizen, obviously I was worried, so I thought I’d check with you to make sure he wasn’t in any trouble.” By this point Seonghwa’s grin was practically devious, his eyes sparkling with mirth. ''I evidently needn’t have worried, you all seem safe enough. I’m awfully sorry for disturbing you- I’m sure you all need your rest after whatever happened last night.”

All three men flushed at the implication of his words, and Seonghwa found himself met with a wave of stuttering denials. 

Hongjoong seemed particularly flustered, mainly because he was the most awake of the three.

“I promise it wasn’t like that. We were just so drained from training yesterday that we all ended up sleeping here.”

Seonghwa raised an eyebrow, obviously not buying it but unwilling to push the matter further. Just as he was turning to leave he seemed to remember something, spinning back round with a grim look on his face.

“Crap, I’ve just remembered the other thing I had to say. I ran into Doyoung on my way here this morning, and he asked me to pass on a message that I’m fairly certain you’re not going to like. Apparently your father has requested that you and Taeyong eat with him tonight, and he wants you to bring Mingi along so he can see how your ‘training’ is going.”

Seonghwa shuddered as he talked, disgust obvious on his face. Mingi could feel Hongjoong stiffen at his side and gave the man a comforting squeeze, trying to ignore the panic present in his own chest. 

“It’ll be okay, Hongjoong, I promise. It’s just one meal.”

Hongjoong relaxed slightly, but his distress was still palpable.

“It may just be one meal Mingi, but I’m going to have to treat you like dirt, and I don’t know if I can bring myself to. Of all the people in the world, you are the least deserving of my cruelty.” Resigned Hongjoong sighed, “I just don’t see any way out of this? All I can do is beg for your forgiveness.”

Yunho reached across Mingi to gently rest a hand on Hongjoong’s shoulder.

“Hongjoong, it’s going to be alright, please try not to panic. Mingi knows you have no choice and he’s strong enough to survive an hour of humiliation.” 

Nodding in agreement, Mingi hugged the smaller man with a smile.

“I’ll be fine Hongjoong. Treat me however you need to, I can take it.”

Their reassurances seemed to work as the tension drained out of Hongjoong’s body. Seonghwa smiled at the sight of the three men consoling each other, softly slipping from the room so he didn’t disturb them. Despite his concerns about the king’s demands, Seonghwa knew that if they had each other to rely on, the three of them would manage.

\-------

Mingi found it strange watching Hongjoong slip into his royal persona. Normally when they spent time together the older man dressed simply and practically, making him seem warm and open. Seeing him draped in an outfit of silk was a jarring contrast, he suddenly looked distant and untouchable, like an expensive work of art.

Hongjoong must’ve noticed his gaze, as he laughed sheepishly whilst examining his clothes in the mirror. 

“A bit different to how I normally look, isn’t it? I only ever dress up when I absolutely have to, but at least I get to wear clothes I crafted. I designed this outfit to accentuate my movements, it flows as I move and the fabric creates an illusion almost like water...”

Mingi giggled softly as Hongjoong started rambling about his clothes again, any illusion of coldness shattered.

Hongjoong stopped his gushing with a rueful smile, aware he could talk for hours if he wasn’t stopped. However Mingi noticed his hesitating, prompting him to ask Hongjoong more about the outfit. There was something about seeing the older man talk so passionately that warmed his heart.

Eventually Yunho arrived to escort them to the king's chambers. He had convinced Hongjoong that he should stay with them over lunch, just in case he was needed. Mingi was glad the prince had agreed, having the guard with them provided a much needed illusion of stability. 

Before they left Hongjoong made sure to clip his chain to the collar around Mingi’s neck, aware that it was more vital than ever to keep up the pretense of servitude. Apologising to Mingi once more for how he would have to behave, Hongjoong led the three of them out of his room.

\-------

The entrance to the king’s chambers was an imposing oak door, studded with dull iron nails. Hongjoong pushed it open with a shuddering creak, allowing Mingi his first glimpse of the room, cold dread settling in his stomach at the sight. A long wooden table filled the majority of the room, ladened with a lavish selection of different dishes. At the head of the table sat the king, already looking bored. Taeyong sat to his right, customary leer present on his face. Doyoung was standing behind him, like a particularly obnoxious shadow. At the sound of Hongjoong entering the room both of the young men looked up, their eyes instantly fixing on Mingi.

“Nice of you to finally join us, Hongjoong.” smirked the king, his eyes also darting to Mingi. “I’m glad you could afford the time away from your new toy to have a meal with your family.” 

Behind him, Hongjoong felt Mingi shudder at the king's words, and the prince had to fight back the urge to flee from the room and take the taller man somewhere where the king’s malice couldn’t hurt him. But he couldn’t. Hongjoong knew that he had to play his part, in order to protect those in the castle he cared about.

Trying to ignore his disgust, Hongjoong smirked as he moved to sit opposite his brother.

“And what a pretty toy he is. Thank you for gifting me such a... delicious present, Taeyong. Rest assured he’s been put to good use.” 

Hongjoong yanked on Mingi’s chains, hoping the younger man would understand his silent plea and sit at his feet without a fuss. Thankfully Mingi caught on, quietly kneeling by his chair as Yunho took up his position by Hongjoong, mirroring Doyoung’s stance behind Taeyong.

Even though Mingi knew Hongjoong’s words and actions were fake, an act to appease his family, he still couldn’t help but wince at the cold disdain in the prince’s voice. Noticing Mingi’s discomfort, Hongjoong surreptitiously rested a hand on his shoulder, a small act of comfort in an overwhelmingly hostile environment. 

Despite having eaten earlier, Mingi felt his mouth water as the men at the table dug into the food. There seemed to be an endless supply of exotic dishes, from steaming platters of meat to mounds of pastries and candied fruit. The aromas alone were enough to make Mingi salivate, and he couldn’t help the rumble that his stomach let out.

Luckily only Hongjoong heard, fixing Mingi with a pitying gaze. However, both men knew Mingi would have to wait to eat, as showing any kindness would be greeted with suspicion by the others.

The princes had only just started to dig into their food when the King spoke up.

“I’m sure you’ve both realised I didn’t just summon you here for a family meal, I don’t have time for those kinds of frivolities. I called you here tonight because I have important news.”

The king cleared his throat before continuing.

“Yesterday I received a message from the leader of the expansive kingdom to the south, the Choi family. They’re aware of the threat the Aurora poses to their power, and are planning on sending delegates to debate a peace treaty and potentially form an alliance, which may be politically advantageous for us. Although it’s not been confirmed yet, I suspect the ambassadors will be the two princes of the Choi family, who are of a similar age to you. As such I’m relying on you two to look after them for the duration of their stay, and to organise activities to keep them entertained. I’m sure this is within your capabilities.”

With his sons muttering words of agreement the king grunted and returned to his food, evidently done speaking.

For the duration of the meal so far Mingi had been dutifully kneeling by Hongjoong’s side, listening to the king’s words with interest. He’d learnt about the Chois during his politics lessons back at his home, and he knew the king was infamous for his savagery and lust for power, only just rivalled by that of the Aurora.

However, Mingi knew very little about the princes – San and Jongho, beyond the fact that one was a skilled negotiator and the other a talented axe fighter.

Lost in thoughts Mingi didn’t notice the hungry looks Taeyong was shooting his way. For most of the meal the food had distracted Taeyong, who seemed to briefly forget about Mingi’s existence as he tore into his meal. However, the respite was short lived, and as he cleared his plate his attention returned to the younger who was staring vacantly off into space.

“So, I heard that you’ve let this bitch have dance lessons.” Taeyong said, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the room “Is it true you’ve been learning to dance for your master, kitten? I bet you look ever so pretty... maybe you should give us all a showcase of your new talent.” 

Aware that Taeyong was baiting him, Mingi remained silent, if he acted out no doubt it would be Hongjoong that was punished.

“I’m not sure he’s good enough to entertain someone of your status yet.” Hongjoong replied, conscious that Mingi’s breathing had become irregular and shallow at the idea of dancing for such a repulsive man. 

“Nonsense,” smirked Taeyong, “Stop being so possessive brother dearest, it’s not becoming of you. I thought you’d know by now it’s always best to share.” 

Taeyong stood up abruptly, moving around the table to grab Mingi’s arm, forcing him up.

“I want to see this bitch dance, and if he doesn’t, I’m afraid I’ll be forced to discipline him. He needs to learn his place.” Taeyong tugged Mingi forward, laughing almost manically. “Now dance for us kitten.”

This was too much for Hongjoong. Moving quickly, he slapped Taeyong’s hand away from Mingi, earning him a shocked look from his brother, confusion quickly morphing into irritation. Anger filled Taeyong’s face as he glowered at Hongjoong, his voice dripping with rage.

“What the hell was that for Hongjoong? Why the fuck are you protecting this slut? Just look at him- he’s pathetic.”

Hongjoong did look at Mingi, but all he could see was the panic present on the younger’s face, akin to that of a caged animal. 

“Don’t fault me for being possessive, Taeyong. He is mine after all, and I’ll treat him how I please. I don’t want him dancing for others, some things are for my eyes only.”

Taeyong was about to reply when the King cleared his throat, clearly bored of his son's petty squabbling.

“Enough you two. The slave is Hongjoong’s now Taeyong, you must respect your brother’s wishes. Although I do fear your discipline may not be effective enough Hongjoong. I mean look at this boy, he’s practically unmarked. I’d hate to think you were going soft.” 

A harsh laugh left Hongjoong’s mouth, so very different from the normal carefree giggles Mingi was accustomed to. 

“Oh I’ve marked him alright, just not in places you can see. Now if we’re done I have important matters to attend to.” Hongjoong roughly grabbed Mingi’s chain, yanking him to his side. “Thank you for the meal father. Come on Yunho, lets go.”

With a nod from his father, Hongjoong left, dragging Mingi out of the room. Yunho tailed behind them, pulling shut the door with a resounding thud. 

As soon as they were out of sight of the king’s rooms Mingi collapsed against the corridor wall, his entire body trembling like a leaf as he panicked. Careful not to heighten his distressed state, Yunho crouched down so he could look the younger in the eyes.

“It’s okay now Mingi.” murmured Yunho, “Try and follow my breathing, in and out, just like that. You’re doing so well sweetheart I promise. You’re out of that awful room. Taeyong can’t touch you now I promise.”

Aware they were massively exposed standing in the middle of the corridor, Hongjoong was keeping watch over the pair, attempting to shield them with his diminutive body as Yunho spoke softly to the panicking man.

But Hongjoong couldn’t stand by watching Mingi cry for long, his heart breaking at the sight of the younger shaking, curled up in a ball.

“Mingi is it okay if I touch you?” Hongjoong asked gently, hyperaware that a wrong move now could cause Mingi to spiral deeper into his panicked state.

Thankfully the younger shakily nodded, allowing Hongjoong to reach out and touch the other’s head. Slowly threading his fingers through Mingi’s hair, he started up a slow rhythm that helped to ground the taller boy as he focused on the feeling of Hongjoong’s hand gently massaging his scalp.

Between Hongjoong’s ministrations and Yunho’s gentle words, Mingi gradually began to calm down, his breathing returning to its regular rhythm, and his heartbeat slowing from an erratic pounding to a gentler pattern. 

Finally uncurling, Mingi was met with joint gazes of concern from both Hongjoong and Yunho. The familiar feeling was back, burning in his chest again, but instead of focusing on it Mingi tugged the two men down into a tight embrace, trying to express his gratitude for the two of them through his actions.

If either man was surprised by the sudden hug, neither said a word. Instead a small smile spread across Hongjoong’s face as he felt Yunho tighten the embrace, and he revelled in the feeling of being surrounded by those he cared about.

Lost in their own universe none of the trio noticed Doyoung walking down the hallway, stopping in shock when he noticed the three of them. Quietly he slipped back the way he came, a smirk present on his face. Now this was some news that would interest Taeyong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are honestly like oxygen to me


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whats this? Another update? Miracles really do happen.
> 
> Thanks to my epic beta for helping keep me sane during quarantine, I feel like now is a good time to remind everyone NCT are actually one of my ults and I love Doyoung. I'm so sorry Doyoung.

Ever since the meal with the king, Mingi had noticed a tangible difference in the way both Yunho and Hongjoong treated him. It wasn’t as if they weren’t kind to him before, but it was as if someone had flipped a switch and sent them both into ultra-protective mode. Both were careful to never leave the younger alone, spending most of their waking hours with him.

Not that Mingi was complaining, he basked in their attention, enjoying the time spent with them. However, with the Chois’ impending arrival, Hongjoong found himself increasingly busy with preparations, leaving Yunho to look after Mingi. When Yunho wasn’t training and Mingi didn’t have dance practice, the two passed the time by playing card games in Hongjoong’s chambers.

Contrary to Yunho’s initial expectations, Mingi had a surprisingly good poker face and was good at making quick tactical decisions, often meaning the guard found himself losing. It was during one such match where Mingi was ruthlessly thrashing Yunho that the younger first asked him about his past.

“Seonghwa said that’d you’ve always lived in the palace,” asked Mingi, “I find that hard to believe, but it’s not like Hwa to lie.” 

Yunho laughed at his words, surprised at the sudden questioning.

“Nope he’s right, I’m Aurora born and bred. My father was the old general, and he spent my childhood training me so that I could eventually take over his position. I guess he wasn’t expecting me to form such a strong bond with Hongjoong.” 

“What do you mean?” asked Mingi.

“Hongjoong and I met when he was about five years old, and we’ve been pretty much inseparable ever since.” explained Yunho. “Growing up in this palace was a struggle, and he was the only person I could play with, and later on the only person I could confide in. The two of us only had each other for so long, I trust him completely. And when he offered me the position of captain of his guard, who was I to refuse? It’s a prestigious position, but it just wasn’t powerful enough for my father, who disowned me as soon as he found out.”

Yunho watched Mingi pout as he processed the new information.

“As long as you're happy who cares what your father wanted.” declared Mingi defiantly. “You and Hongjoong are like two sides of a coin, you balance each other out and push each other to be better. I’ve honestly never seen two people so finely attuned to each other.”

Mingi felt surprisingly sad at the thought, it really was true that the two were perfect for each other, so where did he fit in? He was superfluous really, just unnecessary and to some extent, unwanted. A useless third wheel. Soon the older pair would get bored of pitying him, and who knows where he’d end up then.

Unaware of Mingi’s internal crisis, Yunho was smiling softly at what he had said. It was true that he and Hongjoong were practically inseparable, and words couldn’t even begin to describe the mess of emotions he felt for the elder. 

Yet his feelings for Mingi couldn’t be disregarded either. Although younger and less well rooted than his affection for Hongjoong (Yunho refused to use the L word, he wasn’t quite mentally prepared for that yet) the attraction was undeniably there, and it grew with prolonged exposure to Mingi’s presence.

Companionable silence settled over the room, both men lost in thought. Mingi was the first to snap out of it, smirking at Yunho.

“Shall we finish our game? You’d better say your goodbyes now because you're going down.”

Laughing at Mingi’s confidence, Yunho couldn’t help but smirk back.

“Is that so? Let's see if you can put your money where your mouth is shall we?”

The atmosphere resettled, deeper thoughts brushed aside as Mingi focused on completely and utterly thrashing Yunho.

\-------

Hongjoong wasn’t the only one stirred into a frenzy because of the Chois’ visit, the entire palace had been informed and preparations were in full swing. Mingi had been surprised by the lengths people were going to for the guests, with Hongjoong informing him of a ball that would be held in their honour. The extravagance seemed out of place in such a cold, grey environment, but Hongjoong explained that it was more a display of wealth and power than anything else. 

Even Mingi had his part to play, and when he wasn’t playing cards with Yunho or chatting with Seonghwa he could be found practicing with the dance troop. Taemin had informed the dancers that they’d been ordered to put on a special performance for the visitors, and to Mingi’s delight he had been given permission to take part.

Practicing for the ball was intense, the short time frame and complex choreography making dance rehearsals infinitely more strenuous. The dance routine itself was inspired by butterflies, requiring both grace and elegance, two words Mingi wouldn’t usually use to describe himself. As a result he found himself working particularly hard to get his performance up to scratch, desperate not to let anyone down. He’d been given this chance, and he’d work as hard as possible to show he was worth it.

After a week the performance was almost ready. Having finished running through the complete choreo, Mingi collapsed exhausted onto the floor. He’d barely got his breath back when Ten slumped across him, knocking the air straight back out of him. Too tired to do anything more than grunt in displeasure, Mingi let the elder man sprawl across him as if he were some sort of man shaped pillow. 

As was his nature, it didn’t take long for Ten to shatter the peace and quiet Mingi had briefly been enjoying.

“Sooooo Mingi…” Ten crooned, a playful smirk on his face. “How does it feel to be lusted after by two of the most powerful men in this castle? It’s amazing Hongjoong and Yunho could stop thirsting after you long enough for you to come to practice today.”

Caught totally by surprise at Ten’s words, Mingi nearly choked on his own saliva.

“Lu..lusted after?” He spluttered. “What the hell are you talking about? The only thing Yunho and Hongjoong feel for me is pity, especially Hongjoong - it makes sense that he feels obligated to look after me.” turning away from Ten in childish protest, Mingi sighed. “Anyway it’s clear they only have eyes for each other.”

Ten laughed at Mingi’s confused denial, the younger's face rapidly turning an alarming shade of red as he continued to babble. 

“Oh Mingi, Mingi, Mingi. No one looks at a person they pity as if they’re imagining ravishing them where they stand, consequences be damned. The last time Yunho came to pick you up from practice he was shamelessly undressing you with his eyes whilst you danced, I’ve never seen a man look so frustrated by a shirt before. I can’t believe you haven’t caught on- it’s not like either of them are subtle. Hongjoong looked close to tears the last time you wore that sleeveless tunic to practice. If you weren’t so oblivious, I would've almost thought you were teasing them.”

The blush was spreading down Mingi’s neck now, brain malfunctioning as he tried to understand his implication.

“And it’s not just lust either,” continued Ten, ignoring Mingi’s meltdown, “Honestly, it’s kind of sickening how much they care about you. Being alone with the three of you just reminds me how painfully single I am.”

Mingi hesitated for a second. His mind flashed to quiet mornings spent walking around the castle with Hongjoong, caught in a calming bubble of quiet conversation. He thought of long lunches with Yunho, his eyes sparkling with laughter. And finally, he thought of the heat that had pooled in his gut at the sight of Hongjoong and Yunho sparring.

Huh, maybe Ten was onto something.

Seeing the bewildered look on Mingi’s face, Ten let out a gleeful cackle, attracting the other dancers’ attention.

“What’s Ten done now?” Taemin questioned in despair as Ten continued to writhe with laughter on the floor.

“Nothing, I’ve done nothing,” spluttered Ten. “I just helped Mingi work out that he’s attracted to Yunho and Hongjoong, and that they’re besotted with him.”

“Wait seriously?” piped up Jimin from the corner of the room. “I bet money on you guys having at least fucked by now.”

“Yeah, I mean they’re about as subtle as a brick wall.” agreed Jun from where he was sprawled across Minghao’s lap. 

Even Taemin was nodding, leaving Mingi feeling strangely betrayed.

“Honestly Mingi, I hate to break this to you, but you have to be the most oblivious man I’ve ever met. Even Jungkook is more emotionally aware than you, and he thought we hated him for an entire year. We didn’t, he’s just an idiot.”

Ignoring Jungkook’s outraged protests, Taemin smiled at the tall man on the floor, who had turned an unhealthy shade of red. Even Yeosang was giggling under his breath at this point, his normally calm façade nowhere to be seen.

“Oops, I think we broke him.” Ten cackled gleefully.

Mingi could only watch as the entire dance troupe descended into chaos over his predicament. And even if they were laughing at him, he couldn’t help the small smile that tugged on his face. He really did feel comfortable surrounded by these ridiculous men, he couldn’t remember a time when he’d felt so at ease surrounded by people. 

Even though Mingi generally tried to treat everyone at home in Albia with courtesy and respect, he could count on one hand the number of people he’d known there and actually considered a friend. His station and unusual upbringing made it difficult to form any sort of lasting bond, leading to a surprisingly lonely childhood.

Yet here, in a castle full of people who (mostly) hated him, he felt a strange sense of belonging. His smile grew wider, until he was giggling along with the rest of them. Needless to say, not much dancing was done that afternoon, instead the time was filled with gentle ribbing and teasing, and plenty of laughter.

\--

Relaxed and carefree after dance practice, Yeosang was walking Mingi back to Hongjoong’s room, the corridor filling with their quiet chatter. Even seeing Doyoung storming towards them wasn’t enough to totally dissipate the happiness radiating from the pair, although it did send a fission of unease down Mingi’s spine.

The unease only grew when Doyoung reached them, using his body to block the corridor, forcing them to stop. Sharing a concerned look with Mingi, Yeosang turned to Doyoung, shifting his gaze submissively to the floor out of ‘respect.’

“Good afternoon sir, can this humble servant be of any help to you?”

Doyoung merely glanced at Yeosang, disdain clear in his gaze, before his eyes fixed on Mingi.

“I’m under orders from Taeyong to escort this bitch to his room. He wants to have a little… chat with him.”

Exchanging panicked glances with Mingi, Yeosang tried to reason with Doyoung,

“I’m sorry sir, but I’m under strict orders from the prince to accompany Mingi to and from dance practice directly, this is highly irregular. I think it would be best for you to ask the prince. Forgive my impudence, I simply wouldn’t want the prince to be angry at you.”

“Are you questioning me?” asked Doyoung, arching one eyebrow menacingly. “I’d hate to think that you’d forgotten your place. You may be under Hongjoong’s protection, but you’re only a dancer- you’re essentially worthless. Now leave before I lose my patience, and you lose your freedom.”

Despite his own fear, Mingi knew he couldn’t let Yeosang be punished for trying to protect him. Gripping the elder’s trembling hand, he gave it a squeeze – trying to tell him it would be ok.

In the face of Doyoung’s threat, Yeosang had no choice but to concede.

“Of course sir, please forgive this humble servant who spoke out of turn.” Yeosang unclipped Mingi’s chain from his belt and handed it to Doyoung, before sinking into a low bow.

“Hmph, you really are pathetic. However, you are at least obedient. Get out of here before I change my mind.”

Head still hung low, Yeosang retreated slowly down the corridor, rage burning in his eyes. As soon as he had turned the corner he broke out into a sprint. He needed to get to Hongjoong as quickly as possible. Doyoung had to be stopped.

\----

Meanwhile, Doyoung was leading Mingi into an unfamiliar wing of the palace, yanking his chain harshly whenever he fell more than a step behind. Eventually they reached a small, nondescript room which Doyoung forced Mingi into, slamming the door behind them.

Mingi was visibly panicking by now. The room he was in was plain and relatively empty, with a small table and a chair being the only items of furniture. It didn’t take a genius to work out that this wasn’t Taeyong’s bedchamber.

Doyoung smirked at Mingi’s panicked expression, leisurely draping himself across the chair and watching as Mingi glanced around in confusion.

“Don’t look so scared kitten, I’m not going to hurt you. It’s just that it’s me who wants a little chat, not Taeyong.”

Slowly Doyoung got up from his chair and stalked over to Mingi, who was rapidly losing the fight to control his erratic breathing.

“I really don’t understand what Hongjoong sees in you. You’re pathetic.”

Shocked, Mingi looked up to meet Doyoung’s smug gaze.

“Surprised? It’s not exactly a secret that Hongjoong and I don’t get on, but even I didn’t think he’d be weak enough to fall for his own slave. The way he moons over his guard is disgraceful enough, but add you to the mix? Disgusting.”

“What.. what are you talking about?” asked Mingi quietly, his voice shaking slightly.

“You really don’t know?” laughed Doyoung, “Wow, guess you really are a dumb bitch. Let me put it simply for you then. Last week, after Hongjoong stormed out of that family meal, Taeyong sent me to find his ‘precious brother’ and check he was alright.”

Realisation washed over Mingi like a wave of cold water.

“I was simply making my way to Hongjoong’s quarters when I stumbled across something interesting in the corridor.” Doyoung slyly grinned at Mingi, sadistically enjoying the panic on his face. “Imagine my surprise when I found Prince Hongjoong, son of one of the most feared men in all the kingdoms, and his aide, a man renowned for his loyalty and strength, tenderly embracing a snivelling slave. In plain sight for anyone to see. It made me sick.”

Doyoung shoved Mingi roughly against the wall, the cold stones jutting into his back painfully. Grabbing the younger's face, Doyoung forced Mingi to meet his gaze, his fingers digging painfully into Mingi’s skin.

“I can understand why they’d find you attractive though. I’ve watched you walk around the castle, bewitching people with those innocent doe eyes of yours, almost begging people to look at you. I’ve watched as you drank in the attention like the thirsty whore you are. It’s easy to see how you ensnared Hongjoong and Yunho. But don’t try and fool yourself, they don’t actually care about you. You’re just a game to them, something to play with to ease the boredom. They’ll get tired of you soon enough, and without Hongjoong’s protection you’ll be fair game.”

Doyoung’s other hand gripped Mingi’s waist firmly, as he whispered the next words into his ear, his hot breath creeping over Mingi’s skin.

“And when that happens? When they get bored of you kitten? I’ll be waiting for you, don't you worry.”

Thankfully before Doyoung could go any further the door burst open, revealing a furious Hongjoong. The prince's face was tight with rage, anger rolling off him in waves. 

“And just what do you think you’re doing Doyoung?” Hongjoong’s icy voice was a stark contrast to his fierce demeanor. “Why the hell did Yeosang return to my quarters without Mingi, who the fuck gave you permission to bring him here? Just who do you think you are?”

Doyoung froze in shock at the interruption, creating enough of an opening for Mingi to push the odious man away from him, quickly dashing to Hongjoong’s side.

Hongjoong drew Mingi into a tight embrace, before pulling back and scanning the younger for any visible injuries. Once satisfied that he was unharmed, Hongjoong turned his attention back to Doyoung who had gone a funny shade of purple from a mix of rage and embarrassment.

“I can’t believe I used to respect you Hongjoong. Just wait until your brother hears how low you’ve sunk, he’ll beat you where you stand.”

Unphased, Hongjoong stalked across the room towards him. The guard tried to shuffle away from the rapidly advancing prince, his face pailing. However, the room was small, and it was a matter of mere moments before Hongjoong had Doyoung caged against the wall, unable to move.

“I’m going to make this simple for you.” Hongjoong began. If looks could kill, Doyoung would be long dead. “You don’t touch what’s mine. Taeyong doesn’t touch what's mine. No one but me, and me alone, can touch what’s mine. If I see you so much as look at Mingi, or for that matter Yunho, ever again, I will kill you. Now get out of my sight before I really lose my temper.”

Visibly pale, Doyoung slipped from Hongjoong’s grip and retreated across the room towards the door. Unable to leave without having the last word, he sneered at Hongjoong, venom dripping from his voice.

“You don’t scare me, and you won’t scare Taeyong. Enjoy your peace whilst it lasts, I hope it's worth it.” With that he fled, slamming the door behind him.

Throughout Doyoung’s tirade Mingi had been fighting to keep his face under control, his entire body on fire due to Hongjoong’s possessive words. He knew the elder was overprotective and couldn’t fault him for wanting to protect those he cared about. However, the idea of belonging to Hongjoong, not because he was forced to, but because Hongjoong wanted him, sent heat coursing through Mingi’s body.

Hongjoong could see that Mingi had been affected by his words. His breathing was still irregular, but more due to lust than panic, as made clear by his slightly flushed face and glazed over expression. Sighing, he wrapped the younger in a tight embrace, the rage that had filled his body slowly receding to more manageable levels.

“I’m so sorry you had to see that,” apologised Hongjoong quietly, “and I’m even sorrier he managed to get you alone in the first place. I swear I’ll protect you better in the future, princess.”

Shocked by the endearment, Mingi finally met Hongjoong’s gaze, only to be bowled over by the amount of affection he saw in the elder’s eyes.

Gently running a finger over Mingi’s lower lip Hongjoong smiled.

“I promise I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.” 

For a second Mingi was convinced Hongjoong would lean in and close the small gap between them, but just as he was about to lean forward, Hongjoong seemed to pull back in shock.

“Um, anyway..” Hongjoong stuttered, “We should probably move, we’re sure to be questioned if we’re found this close to Taeyong’s quarters. Doyoung is definitely going to tell Taeyong what he’s seen so we need to discuss a plan of action with everyone. It’s best if we go.”

Disappointed, Mingi had no choice but to follow Hongjoong as he led him from the room and back to the relative safety of his own quarters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To quote a comment on the last chapter "doyoung you BITCH" 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the chapter, comments really help me stay inspired. Hope everyone is staying safe.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20k words in and we FINALLY get to meet all the members.
> 
> This chapter is a bit of a filler with lots of dialogue, but I'm super excited for the next update. Hope you enjoy anyway.

The minute they were back in Hongjoong’s rooms the prince sent for Seonghwa, insisting it was best he checked over Mingi, despite the younger's insistent protests that he was fine. It didn’t take long for Seonghwa to arrive, accompanied by Yeosang and Yunho. At the sight of Mingi sitting slightly ashen on the bed Yunho ran over to him, enveloping him in a tight embrace (despite Seonghwa’s protest about aggravating potential wounds.)

Once everyone was a bit calmer and Seonghwa had confirmed that Mingi had no physical injuries, the five of them sat round Hongjoong’s table plotting their next move. Hongjoong’s face was serious as he ran his eyes over his circle of close friends, concern evident in their expressions.

“I have no doubt that Doyoung has already informed Taeyong of my actions,” Hongjoong began, “Taeyong has always desired the throne, but until now he’s been willing to wait until my father dies naturally to get it. Yet if he believes I’m a threat to his power, I suspect he will accelerate his plans. My father's days are numbered.”

Hongjoong ran a hand through his hair, deflating slightly as he released a defeated sigh. Whilst he felt little affection for the king, the idea of his murder still left him feeling a little queasy.

“What worries me more is what will happen to you. Whilst once Taeyong may have offered me the position of his advisor, or allowed me to look after the castle, now I’m just a threat to him. If he can no longer trust me, he will seek to eradicate me - and I can’t protect you all if I’m dead.”

Despairing, Hongjoong dropped his head into his hands. He had failed them.

“The only small mercy we have is that it's unlikely Taeyong will make any moves whilst the Choi’s are here. That gives us a few weeks of breathing room. A small mercy indeed.”

A tense silence filled the room, everyone’s faces looking equally grim.

“Well then it seems like we have two options.” Oddly it was Mingi who broke the silence, words hesitant at first but slowly growing in confidence. “We run, or we claim power before Taeyong has the chance. Whilst running would be easier, I’m not sure how willing you would be to leave the entire castle staff at Taeyong’s mercy, or where we could go where we wouldn’t be found and killed. So we stay and we fight.”

Mingi picked up an apple from the table, turning it round in his hand, lost in thought.

“What about the Chois? Would it be possible to sway them to our cause, or should we worry about an alliance between them and Taeyong? I only know basic facts about both princes, which honestly aren't much use. Does anyone have any idea whether we could convince them to join us?”

Mingi’s question was left unanswered as all the occupants of the room stared at him, visibly shocked. With all of Mingi’s puppy-like attributes and somewhat carefree nature it was easy to forget that he was a prince, the pride of his kingdom, and as such had been trained from a young age in matters of political importance. Not to mention that he used to have the reputation of being a tactical genius when it came to devising battle plans. He had been both feared and respected, and never before had it been so obvious why.

Mingi for his part just seemed confused and slightly hurt that no one was answering his question.

Eventually Yeosang spoke up, smiling at his dumbstruck friends.

“I can help you with the Chois, I grew up in their kingdom and my childhood friend is the prince’s personal guard.” Mingi raised an eyebrow inquisitively at his words, but didn’t interrupt. 

“His name is Wooyoung and despite our respective positions we’ve still managed to stay in touch. He considers me one of his best friends, as I do him. As a result he's told me about his master San in… great detail.” For some reason Yeosang’s words seemed to pain him slightly, as if he’d heard about San in rather more detail than he wished.

“Wooyoung believes San is a good man, and I trust his judgment completely. He has in passing also mentioned the prince's younger brother Jongho, and I doubt we have anything to fear there. Despite his great skill with axes and his love for fighting, he is a kind soul and apparently often helps the palace staff. I’m sure both princes would be willing to help our cause if we can just explain the situation to them, and I’m sure Wooyoung will be happy to aid us in any way he can.”

Mingi smiled gratefully at Yeosang.

“That’s brilliant news, with the Chois backing us we stand a much greater chance of succeeding.” For a second doubt crossed Mingi’s face as he finally turned to face Hongjoong. “That is, of course, if this is what you want to do Hongjoong, I’m sorry if I’ve been speaking out of place. You’re the leader here, we’ll do whatever you think best.”

Still slightly shocked, Hongjoong smiled ruefully at Mingi.

“Please don’t apologise sweetheart, it should be me saying sorry to you for sitting here like a lemon whilst you try and fix my problems. I think that sounds like an excellent plan, of course the finer details need discussing, but the idea is sound.”

Hongjoong stood to address everyone at the table. 

“I made it clear to all of you when you first arrived that I would do everything within my power to protect you. That fact hasn’t changed. I don't know Taeyong’s plan, knowing him it will be brutal, but I will do everything within my power to stop him. Hopefully I can count on your support. It wouldn't feel right if I was doing this without you four at my side.”

“You’d be a fool to think we’d leave you now.” Seonghwa said, “You’ve saved us all, and I speak for everyone when I say we all love you in our own ways.” Turning to face Mingi and Yunho he raised a wry eyebrow. “Although maybe some more than others. You know we’d never leave your side.” 

Clamours of agreements followed Seonghwa’s words, even if Mingi and Yunho were valiantly trying to pretend that their faces weren’t flushed and were stubbornly avoiding Hongjoong’s gaze. 

Hongjoong allowed himself to bask in the feeling of the others' love and respect for a few brief moments, before grinning and grabbing some paper and ink.

“In that case, let's work out what we’re going to say to the Chois.” 

\------ 

By the day of the Chois’ arrival Mingi hardly recognised the castle he’d spent the last couple of months in. Corridors that were once drab and grey were now decked in colourful, expensive tapestries depicting the might of The Aurora in battle. According to Hongjoong they were made after every victorious campaign The Aurora fought in, but only displayed when needed to impress (or intimidate) foreign diplomats and ambassadors. 

Hongjoong and his family were waiting in the throne room to greet the envoy from the Choi kingdom, all three royals sprawled on their respective thrones. Yunho was positioned dutifully behind Hongjoon, lurking in the shadows, partially hidden from sight. Unfortunately Mingi wasn’t so lucky, as a ‘spoil of war’ he found himself forced to sit at Hongjoong’s feet, leather collar tight around his throat. 

When Hongjoong had approached him that morning bearing only a pile of fabric and a pained expression, Mingi knew he wasn’t going to like what he heard. Hongjoong’s constant apologies and sad face had lightened the blow of the new clothes he’d been issued somewhat, but Mingi still had to stop himself recoiling in disgust at his own reflection.

Gone were the soft and simple clothes crafted for him lovingly by Hongjoong, replaced instead by dainty gold chains and semi-transparent silks. Thankfully he’d been allowed to wear trousers, though they were made of an almost sheer white material that billowed loosely around his legs, only cinched at his ankles and waist. The rest of the outfit merely consisted of several lengths of gold chain that were artfully twisted around his torso, before attaching to golden bands wrapped around his arms. Hongjoong had managed to source a length of fabric similar to his trousers that Mingi could drape over himself to preserve some of his modesty, but it really didn’t help much.

His thick leather collar had remained untouched, and looked particularly out of place when paired with the rest of his outfit. Mingi couldn’t help but think that for the first time since he’d arrived at the palace he really did look the part of Hongjoong’s pet. But instead of feeling distressed, Mingi was angry. He was the golden prince of Albia and he wouldn’t stand to be treated this way. They could look, and they could laugh, but with Hongjoong by his side and a plan under his belt, he would make them regret the day they decided to treat him like this.

Unbeknownst to Mingi, Hongjoong was suffering a moral dilemma. Seeing Mingi forced into these clothes he clearly hated made the elder uncomfortable, yet he couldn’t help but admire him. Whilst it was true his outfit made him look almost sinful, it was the fire in his eyes that Hongjoong really loved. Despite every humiliation and injustice, his expression showed that he was still the same proud, determined prince who had first arrived at the castle in chains.

Thinking back to the morning in Hongjoong’s chamber did nothing to help Mingi now. The thin layer of fabric draped over him did little to distract from the biting cold of the throne room, and he found himself beginning to shiver as his skin prickled from the cold. Desperate for a distraction his eyes roamed around the room, fixing on a newer looking tapestry that took up almost an entire wall. It consisted of four different scenes, and Mingi felt his spirit sink as his eyes moved from one to the other.

The first picture depicted a proud woman leading a small, but well equipped army against The Aurora. The second picture portrayed the same woman, now an arrow filled corpse on the ground, the army around her laid to waste. The penultimate picture portrayed The Aurora attacking a castle, and whilst the castle guard were rallying to defend it, it was clear defeat was inevitable.

However it was the fourth and final picture that really made Mingi’s stomach turn. It showed a familiar room strewn with corpses, all framing three men in the center of the piece. Two of the men stood over the third, one threatening him with his sword, the other with a foot on his chest, pinning him to the floor. It was hard for Mingi not to wince as he stared at the likeness of himself lying hopelessly defeated on the ground, the moment forever captured in the threads woven carefully through the tapestry.

Something about having one of the lowest moments of his life immortalised for people to gawk at for years to come caused something to snap in Mingi. Pure, cold hatred flooded his body, a foreign feeling for the generally optimistic and upbeat man. How dare they. It took all of his willpower to stop him rushing across the room and beating Taeyong until fists were bloodied and the prince’s cocky face was marred by a patchwork of bruises.

Thankfully a new distraction presented itself in the opening of the throne room doors and declaration of the arrival of the delegates from the Choi kingdom. Tearing his eyes away from the accursed tapestry, Mingi fixed his gaze on the door, curious to see for himself what Princes San and Jongho looked like.

The elder prince entered first, followed by his younger brother and the rest of their servants. San walked with confidence in his step, practically dripping in his national colour of red from head to toe. The cold light that filtered through the throne room windows highlighted the streaks of crimson in his otherwise deep brown hair, and emphasised the gems studded into his red velvet jacket. His appearance screamed of wealth, opulence, and danger. 

His younger brother Jongho was much less extravagantly dressed, although he wore a similar velvet jacket and the massive battle axe strapped to his back did little to lessen his intimidating appearance. Between the two of them they cut a striking picture, and Mingi could tell that even the King was grudgingly impressed. 

The princes stopped in the center of the room, bowing deeply in greeting. 

“Prince San, Prince Jongho, it is good to see your faces.” said the King. Despite his words he already seemed bored. “Thank you for making the long journey between our kingdoms, I hope your visit will provide fruitful for the both of us.”

“It’s an honour to be here, your majesty,” San replied. “We’ve grown up hearing tales of The Aurora’s prowess in battle, it’s a thrill to be able to visit.” Sans eyes flicked around the room, flitting from one tapestry to the next, before settling on Mingi as he smiled grimly, “it’s clear from all these beautiful decorations that those tales weren’t exaggerating. I do find it funny how you feel the need to display humans like animals to retain your feeling of superiority, but each to their own I guess.”

Shocked, Mingi watched as both Taeyong and the King gaped at San’s bold words. Behind him Hongjoong found himself choking back a surprised laugh.

“I’m sure you’re exhausted after your long journey.” said Hongjoong in an attempt to break the awkward silence San’s words had caused. “Please allow me to show you to the rooms you’ll be staying in for the duration of your stay.”

Smiling brightly, as if unaware of the tension he had caused, San happily agreed to Hongjoong’s offer, tailing after the shorter man as he led them from the throne room. Still chained to Hongjoong, Mingi joined the entourage of people leaving, falling into step with a purple haired servant of the Choi’s. Expecting an awkward, silent walk, Mingi was surprised when the man next to him instantly tried to start a conversation.

“So are you allowed to talk, or what?” 

“Umm.. yeah. Hongjoong would never force me to be silent unless it was absolutely necessary.” Belatadely Mingi realised he probably shouldn’t have been so honest, but the other man's straightforward question had thrown him off kilter.

“That's good,” replied the purple haired man. “I have so many questions to ask and I wouldn't want to get you in trouble. Although no one would be surprised if I did manage to cause trouble within five minutes of arriving. I’m sure San would forgive me. Probably.”

Surprised at how casually the servant referred to his master, Mingi surmised that he must be incredibly close to the prince. Just as he was about to voice these thoughts, his companion broke into another stream of questions.

“ Have you been able to see other servants yet? I know you aren't here voluntarily, obviously, so I'm not sure how much freedom you've been given so far ?” waving carelessly Wooyoung continued on, “ I'm looking for a friend of mine, you see - a dancer. It's vital I find him, he said he had important news for me." Seeing no sign of recognition the boy motioned to his own throat. "He has a bronze collar if that helps? It looked a bit more comfortable than that .” 

Blinking as he processed the man’s rapid speech, Mingi grinned.

“You wouldn’t happen to be Wooyoung would you?”

Clearly surprised, the man nodded in affirmation. “Yeah, Jung Wooyoung at your service, I’m guessing you know Yeosang then. Any idea where I could find him?”

“I’m not sure where he is right now,” admitted Mingi, “but he normally joins us for lunch. If you can get away from your duties and meet me back here at midday tomorrow I can take you to see him.”

“Thank you so much,” grinned Wooyoung, “so you must be Mingi, huh? Yeosang mentioned you in some of his letters. For what it’s worth I really am sorry what happened, but at least you seem to have fallen into the company of the only decent people in this castle.”

“I really am lucky,” Mingi agreed, “just the thought of being landed with Taeyong makes me feel ill. If he’d kept me instead of Hongjoong, I think I'd be a broken man by now.” 

“His savagery is legendary, I can’t say I’m excited to be spending time in his presence. But if there are more people like you and Yeosang here then I’m sure I’ll be fine.” Looking around Wooyoung noticed that in the time they’d been talking they’d reached the guest quarters, which everyone else had already disappeared into. Evidently Hongjoong had unclipped Mingi’s chain from his belt at some point, and Mingi had been so lost in conversation he hadn’t even noticed.

“Well looks like I better go find San before he sends out a fully armed search party to look for me.” a broad smile broke across Wooyoung’s face, his eyes shining brightly. “It was nice meeting you Mingi, I’m sure I’ll be seeing lots of you around.”

Echoing Wooyoung’s farewell, Mingi retreated back to Hongjoong’s quarters, lost in thought. From his conversation with Wooyoung it was obvious the man would happily help them, as he had made his distaste for Taeyong clear. Whether San and Jongho could be so easily swayed was a different matter.

Grinning to himself Mingi slipped into Hongjoong’s quarters before collapsing on the bed. Things were getting interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> San/Jongho's outfits were inspired by a mix of ATEEZ's outfits at the golden disk awards and that one answer performance in red velvet suits (I cried.) Mingi's outfit was inspired by my awful brain. You're welcome.
> 
> If you enjoyed, please drop me a comment to let me know your thoughts, they really inspire me :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I've had to split this chapter in two because it was getting ridiculously long. I'm really not very happy with a lot of this, I've been struggling to write recently - lockdown is having a pretty negative effect on my mental health.
> 
> Anyway I hope someone enjoys this chapter :)

The ball had been arranged for the day after the princes’ arrival, giving them time to get settled in and allowing preliminary peace discussions to take place. After San’s comment the previous day Hongjoong had easily convinced the king it would be best to leave Mingi with Seonghwa for the majority of Choi's stay. Thus Mingi whiled away the morning helping the doctor rearrange his shelves and making small talk. 

As lunch drew nearer, Mingi explained his deal with Wooyoung to Seonghwa and the two of them set off to try and find him. They found him lingering outside San’s quarters, gaze fixed on a gory tapestry depicting Taeyong brutally decapitating some forgotten king. He instantly perked up at the sight of Mingi, rushing over to embrace the taller in a tight hug.

“Mingi, I wondered where you were! I’ve been looking at some of the decorations and I was just wondering if the king takes constructive criticism on his interior design. I have a few tips and pointers, death and destruction are just so last century.”

Laughing at the younger's straightforward words, Mingi found himself returning the slightly surprising hug. Wooyoung’s blunt attitude was a welcome contrast to the normally stifling atmosphere of the castle. If everyone from the Choi kingdom was like this, Yeosang’s often brutal honesty suddenly made a lot more sense.

“It’s good to see you too, Wooyoung,” replied Mingi. “Shall we go find Yeosang? Also in general it may be best to not act overly familiar with me, it might cause trouble with Taeyong.” 

“Hah, that prick doesn’t scare me,” laughed Wooyoung. “Anyway an attack on me is akin to an attack on San, and I’m sure even Taeyong wouldn’t compromise this alliance for something so petty.” 

“You’d be surprised,” mused Seonghwa, “I’ve never met a man motivated by petty spite in the way that Taeyong is. I honestly wouldn’t put anything past him.” 

“Anyway with a bit of luck and good planning, soon we won't have to worry about Taeyong any more,” said Mingi. He knew it was a risk to hint at their planned treason, Wooyoung was basically a stranger, if a very friendly one. However, Mingi’s gut instinct told him he could trust the man, and Mingi’s instincts had rarely led him wrong in the past. That paired with Yeosang’s glowing review of the man made him trustworthy enough.

Wooyoung seemed to falter slightly at Mingi’s words, but he recovered quickly, smirking and inquisitively raising an eyebrow. 

“Is that so? I must say that from my limited interactions with the man I can understand why someone might want that. I’d love to hear more.” 

“Let's wait until we’re somewhere away from prying eyes,” said Mingi with a smirk, “it’s common knowledge that these walls have ears”

Nodding in understanding Wooyoung began to talk about the tapestries they were passing again, not hesitating to critique the artistry, or the cruelty depicted in them.

Eventually they reached Seonghwa’s room, Yunho and Yeosang already waiting for them inside. At the sight of the dancer, Wooyoung broke from Mingi’s side, tackling Yeosang to the floor in an aggressive bear hug. In between Yeosang’s pained protests and Wooyoung’s excitable screeches, Mingi turned to Yunho, a questioning look in his gaze.

“No Hongjoong today then?”

The guard nodded sadly. “He didn’t want to leave San and Jongho alone with Taeyong for too long so he’s taking lunch with them. He dismissed me though, and told me to tell you that whilst he’s not here, you’re in control.”

“M..me?” stuttered Mingi “But surely it’s better if you’re in charge, he’s known you longer and -” 

“He’s known you long enough Mingi,” interrupted Yunho. “Out of all the people in the room right now, your understanding of politics outstrips even mine, and you’re the most tactically minded. Plus he trusts you as much as he trusts me. There’s honestly no one better suited to be in charge, darling.”

For what seemed like the thousandth time, Mingi found himself fighting back a blush at Yunho's honeyed words. He was almost used to the constant stream of pet names from Hongjoong (although he still got ridiculously flustered each time) but it was rare for Yunho to use them. Not that Mingi was complaining, it lit a warm feeling in his chest. 

Turning his attention back to the situation in the room, Mingi took a seat at Seonghwa’s table, beckoning for everyone else to follow suit. Once everyone was seated, it was Wooyoung who spoke up first.

“Whilst it’s nice to see Yeosang again, I’m pretty sure that’s not the only reason you wanted to talk to me today. I’m assuming this has something to do with Mingi’s thinly veiled comment about Taeyong?”

“You assume correctly,” replied Mingi. “Although it was important that you saw Yeosang as well, he said he missed you.”

Yeosang let out an outraged squawk at that. “I said no such thing, the less time spent with this annoying limpet, the better.”

“Aaww Sangie you really did miss me,” cried Wooyoung, side hugging Yeosang and refusing to let go, despite the dancer’s increasingly frustrated complaints. 

Once everyone had stopped giggling at the duo's actions, Mingi valiantly tried to steer the conversation back on track.

“It’s clear you missed him too then. But it’s true that we had ulterior motives when asking you here today, we desperately need Prince San’s help, and we thought you may be able to aid us in getting through to him.”

Nodding in understanding, Wooyoung shrugged.

“San generally has no qualms helping people, but I’m guessing from your expressions that this is more than some petty prank on Taeyong, I’ve honestly never seen Yeosang look so serious.”

“We’re talking about treason.” Mingi knew he was being abnormally blunt, but he had the suspicion that Wooyoung would appreciate it.

“Due to some recent events, Hongjoong suspects that his brother is planning to seize the throne. Taeyong is a sadistic, ruthless man, I dread to think what he’d be like with even more power. It is in everyone’s best interests that he should be stopped. Rest assured if he became king, no flimsy peace treaty would stop him from attacking your kingdom.”

“This sure is a serious situation you’ve got yourselves into here,” mused Wooyoung , “and such noble reasons for wanting to stop him as well.”

“We can’t deny that there’s no self-interest,” replied Yunho, slightly bashfully. “If Taeyong was king, everyone in this room but Seonghwa would be in danger. Yeosang has defied Doyoung, his right hand man, openly in the past, and I am too close to Hongjoong to ever be allowed to walk free, and Mingi… well let’s just say I’d rather lay down my own life than let that odious man lay a finger on Mingi ever again. Seonghwa’s talents are vital enough for him to be left alone, but I have no doubt his life would be made miserable.”

“You know I wouldn’t ask for help unless it was serious, Wooyoung,” added Yeosang. “We really do need your help.”

A determined smile spread across Wooyoung’s face. “Okay I’m in, it’s clear you guys need all the help you can get.”

“Wait, really?” asked Mingi, surprised it had been that simple.

“Yeah,” shrugged Wooyoung. “To tell you the truth I’d made up my mind to help you before I even entered the room. Yeosang is one of my best friends, and it’s clear you’re all good people. I’ll try and talk to San on your behalf, and hopefully he’ll convince Jongho.” 

“Words can't express how grateful we are,” beamed Mingi, “we’re in your debt.” 

Wooyoung looked slightly awkward at the sincerity in the elders voice, not used to experiencing the full brunt of Mingi’s emotions. “Seriously don’t worry about it, it’s the right thing to do.” Grinning once more, he tightened his grip on Yeosang. “Anyway I was promised food, enough with the serious talk, let’s eat. I have seven years of annoying Yeosang to catch up on.” 

Yeosang buried his head in his arms at the slightly ominous promise, his friends all laughing at his fate.

The rest of lunch passed happily, full of laughter and happy chatter, heavier topics temporarily forgotten. 

\-----

After lunch Mingi was whisked away by Yeosang to get ready for the ball. The dancers' outfits were relatively simple, loose trousers dyed in various shades of red (Mingi’s were so light, they were essentially pink), a tight fitted black top, and a length of fabric the same colour as the trousers that was needed for certain parts of the routine. As it was a masked ball each dancer had a delicate half butterfly mask, fitting with the theme of the dance. Admiring himself in the mirror, Mingi begrudgingly admitted to himself that he didn’t look half bad. 

Ten had got changed next to him, his trousers a bright, fiery red that contrasted, but didn’t clash, with the soft pink of Mingi’s own. Seeing that Mingi was done getting changed, Ten took the opportunity to drape himself over the younger, despite a few, slightly amused, protests. Focused on jokingly trying to shove the elder dancer off him, Mingi failed to notice the wicked smirk painted on Ten’s face.

“Sooo Mingi,” drawled Ten, dragging out the vowels in a sing-song manner, “have you seen Hongjoong and Yunho’s outfits yet?”

Shaking his head in confusion, Mingi wondered what he’d got himself into as Ten’s smile grew into something positively wicked.

“You haven’t? Oh that’s too good. Well I guess you’ll see them before long, no need for me to say more.” Ten started to slip away, but Mingi grabbed his arm before he could make his escape.

“What do you mean?” Mingi practically whined. “You can’t just say that and leave, what’s so special about how they’re dressed?”

Still grinning, Ten broke from Mingi’s grip and darted across the room to hide behind Taemin, peeking out from behind the lead dancer to laugh at Mingi’s frustrated face. 

“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see love. Don’t worry, you won’t be disappointed.”

Before Mingi could respond, Taemin pointedly cleared his throat.

“If we’re all quite done getting ready, yes Ten I’m looking at you, we should move to the banqueting hall. We’re performing first whilst the king and his guests feast, after they’re done eating the dance floor will be opened up for everyone. Feel free to mingle, just don’t forget your place.” As excited chatter broke out among the dancers at the prospect of having freedom to roam, Taemin pulled Mingi to the side, looking slightly regretful. “Unfortunately after the performance you’ll have to return to Hongjoong’s side. The King would never be lenient enough to grant you this level of freedom. I’m sorry.”

Shrugging aside Taemin’s apologies, Mingi wrapped an arm around the elder. 

“It’s alright, I’m just grateful I can be here in the first place.” Mingi’s expression turned oddly bashful, “Anyway, I’m sure Hongjoong will look after me.”

“Oh I’m sure he will,” Taemin smirked, “Yunho too. You honestly couldn’t be in better hands. Actually whilst we’re talking about those two I had a little idea for the routine.”

Standing on his tip-toe Taemin whispered something in Mingi’s ear, grinning wildly as he did so.

Whatever he said caused Mingi to flush an alarming shade of red, the younger stuttering in protest. Ignoring the younger's complaints, Taemin smirked and grabbed Mingi’s arm, dragging him to the doorway whilst yelling at the rest of the excited dancers to follow. Turning back to Mingi, he shot him one final smile.

“Now come on, we have people to impress.”

\-------

Sitting next to his father at the head of the long banquet table, Hongjoong shifted uncomfortably in his heavy formal robes. Normally he enjoyed the opportunity to dress up, but tonight he just wanted this whole affair to be over. His black velvet jacket felt like it was dragging him down, the pearl embellishments adding extra weight he wasn’t entirely comfortable with, not to mention how his linen shirt was sticking unpleasantly to his slightly sweaty skin. At least people couldn’t see his face Hongjoong reasoned, obscured as it was by a delicate black and silver mask. Compared to the elaborately dressed nobles that filled the rest of the banquet hall, Hongjoong’s outfit was relatively simple, but its simplicity only made it all the more beautiful.

It was strange to see so much colour filling the room, normally even the wealthy nobles and higher ups in the army dressed in austere clothing, the colour palette of the castle consisting almost entirely of greys and blacks for both men and women. The sudden bombardment of colour made it evident they were pulling out all the stops to impress the Chois.

Turning slightly, Hongjoong whispered as much to Yunho who was ever dutifully standing at his shoulder. Yunho looked unfairly good in his formal uniform, his usual woolen clothes and leather arm guards replaced by a crisp linen outfit. His face was similarly obscured by a simple black velvet mask that had been commissioned to all the soldiers lining the edge of the room, an ever present reminder of The Aurora’s power. As he was his personal guard Hongjoong had been allowed to gift Yunho a black jacket with delicate silver embroidery, marking him as superior to the other soldiers, and completing his outfit.

Settling back in his seat Hongjoong soaked in the sight of his guard. It was rare to see Yunho this dressed up and he’d be damned if he didn’t enjoy it. Yunho’s thoughts seemed to run along a similar vein, his eyes hungrily taking in every detail of Hongjoong’s elaborate outfit. His gaze fixed on the simple silver circlet resting on the prince’s forehead for a few moments, before turning his attention back to the room.

A brass fanfare marked the arrival of the Chois, effectively silencing the chatter in the room. Prince San led the procession, striding confidently into the room, his long ruffled red coat flaring dramatically behind him. Stopping in front of the King, he bowed his head respectfully, an action echoed by his brother who was dressed slightly less elaborately in a crimson jacket inlaid with gold patterns. Having paid their respects to the king, the brothers took their seats at Hongjoong’s side, San’s eyes shining behind his red lace mask as Hongjoong greeted him.

“Prince San, thank you for joining us tonight. I hope your stay has been comfortable so far.”

“What’ve I said about just calling me San?” replied the man in question, “I hate all these stuffy formalities, ‘Prince San’ sounds so stuck up and pretentious, isn’t that right Jongho?”

“I’m sorry about him, your royal highness,” replied the younger prince, letting out a pained sigh. “My elder brother seems to be allergic to tradition and formalities, please don’t think too badly of him.”

Laughing at the younger's serious tone, Hongjoong reassuringly shook his head.

“It’s fine. I actually find it refreshing, a nice change of pace. And please, I insist you call me Hongjoong, none of this ‘royal highness’ nonsense. We’re all equals here after all.”

“I knew you’d agree with me!” exclaimed San. “See Jongho, not everyone here has a permanent stick up their butt.”

Shaking his head in despair, Jongho flashed Hongjoong an apologetic glance. Fighting back laughter Hongjoong could only smile. He’d meant what he said, San was a much needed breath of fresh air in the often oppressive atmosphere of the castle. Jongho was less bold, but equally pleasant to spend time with. In their day together Hongjoong had been impressed by the younger's measured attitude and diplomatic words. 

Further conversation between the princes was prevented by the arrival of the food, which for the royals mostly consisted of various roasted meats, as well as rich soups and steaming hot pies. A small band of musicians created a backdrop of gentle noise as everyone’s attention switched to the feast in question. The conversation was kept light over dinner, mostly revolving around the dishes themselves and some of the more ridiculous masks and outfits (Hongjoong wasn’t sure who was behind the elaborate toad mask, but he was grudgingly impressed, if a little bewildered.)

Before long, plates were empty and the atmosphere in the room had grown noticeably more relaxed. Having eaten his fill, Hongjoong slumped back slightly into his seat. Now that the feasting was over it was time for the dancers to perform before the dance floor would be opened up for everyone. Turning to meet Yuho’s gaze, the prince smirked. Mingi had been surprisingly tight lipped about the dancers’ routine, so needless to say both he and Yunho were excited to see what had been prepared. 

Taemin led the procession of dancers into the room, the rest of the troupe spilling out behind him as they filled the space that had been cleared for them. Even though they were only walking, the mix of swirling red fabrics and glinting masks created a striking image. Having bowed respectfully to the king the dancers assembled in the centre of the room, all but Taemin lying on the floor, creating a ring around their leader - a lone island in a sea of red.

Taemin gestured at the musicians who broke out into a new tune. The melody was light and airy, weaving playfully through the air before it hit the listeners’ ears. As the first notes filled the room the dancers began to move, swaying in time to the music. In the centre Taemin spun and pirouetted, movements both whimsical and controlled. As the song progressed the other dancers stood to join their leader, movements synchronised as they entranced the room. 

Bewitched, neither Hongjoong nor Yunho could look away as Mingi moved. The dancers eyes were partially shut as he lost himself in the music, however his movements were precise and controlled. He made the complex, intricate steps seem almost simple. The entire troupe seemed to float across the room, swirling strips of fabric around them as they moved, almost creating the illusion of wings.

Without warning the music changed. The bright, upbeat music darkened, the melody twisting into something deeper, more sensual. As one unit the dancers threw away the excess fabric they’d been using and ripped off their masks. Their movements were faster now, more intense, more dangerous. Graceful pirouettes morphing into undulating body rolls and near sinful hip movements. However the intricacies of the dance escaped Hongjoong who found himself distracted by something else.

Mingi.

From the moment he’d ripped his mask off he'd made eye contact with Hongjoong and was yet to break it. Eye’s hooded, expression sultry, it felt like the dancer was staring straight into his soul. Hongjoong hopelessly stared back, drinking in the sight of the younger man as he sashayed across the room, perfectly in time with the music. It took all of Hongjoong’s self restraint not to jump over the table and pin Mingi to the nearest wall.

After a few minutes of the world’s sweetest torture Mingi’s gaze switched to meet Yunho’s, allowing Hongjoong to release a breath he hadn’t realise he’d been holding.

“That dancer in pink, who is he?” asked San, his eyes alight with curiosity. “He’s beautiful.”

Still watching Mingi, Hongjoong pretended he hadn’t heard San’s question, fighting back a wave of possessiveness. Meanwhile the man in question was still staring intently at Yunho, even going so far as to bite his lip sensually as he moved into the next sequence of body rolls. Yunho audibly groaned at the sight. Hongjoong smirked, at least he wasn’t the only one affected.

Eventually the dance drew to a close, the dancers bowing to the zealous applause that filled the room. Mingi smirked at Hongjoong and Yunho one last time, before following the rest of the troupe to stand at the side of the room.

\---

Mingi felt giddy. When Taemin had told him to lock eyes with Hongjoong and Yunho during the second half of the routine, he couldn’t decide whether to be nervous or embarrassed. He shouldn’t have worried, the results had been spectacular. Mingi knew he would never forget the feeling of Hongjoong’s eyes dragging over his skin, his knuckles white as he gripped his chair. Yunho had been no better, his hands shaking slightly from where they were clenched tightly into fists at his side. It was a heady feeling to know he was desired by not one, but two powerful and beautiful men. 

Letting out a sigh, Mingi relaxed against the wall, drinking in the sight of Hongjoong and Yunho in their finery. It was a shame that their masks covered up some of their features, but they still looked ethereally handsome, as if they’d just stepped out of some fantastical painting. Excitement swelled in Mingi as the musicians started playing again and the royals and nobles migrated from their tables to the dance floor. The night wasn’t over yet, and he’d be damned if he didn’t get to see the two men dance at least once. He couldn’t wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are always appreciated <3


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, Hello, I'm crying this is my favourite chapter yet, I really hope you enjoy it.
> 
> (Sidenote NCT Dream just had an epic comeback so if you haven't heard ridin yet I highly recommend it.)
> 
> Also I love my beta for crying with me about this chapter

Outside, the sky darkened as night fell. Inside the castle however, the ball was in full swing - the banquet hall filled with music and dance as glasses were emptied and people lost themselves in the moment.

Mingi had returned to Hongjoong and Yunho’s sides, the trio watching as people made fools of themselves whilst attempting to dance. Everytime Mingi saw something particularly outrageous he would point it out to his companions with a small laugh, oblivious to the fond looks he’d receive in return. 

Attention solely focused on Mingi, neither Hongjoong nor Yunho noticed as San approached them, his loyal servant trailing dutifully behind. However, it didn’t take long before San loudly made his presence known though.

“There you are Hongjoong, I thought you’d run away from me!”

Hongjoong let out a nervous laugh at San’s joke, but relaxed as the younger wrapped an arm around him in a friendly embrace. Noticing that Jongho was no longer with his brother, Hongjoong scanned the room looking for the younger prince. When he was unable to find him he nudged San, attempting to grab the others attention.

“If you don’t mind me asking, where did your brother get to?”

“Jongho?” San replied, seeming mildly surprised by Hongjoong’s question. “He’s not the biggest fan of events like this, he probably slipped out earlier to practice with his axe, I hope you don’t mind.” 

“It’s not a problem,” assured Hongjoong, “I was simply wondering where he was, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of you without the other.”

San smiled at Hongjoong’s observation.

“I’m lucky to have him, god knows where I’d be without Jongho to keep me on the straight and narrow. I’m forever grateful that I have him in my life, although sometimes I wonder which one of us is really the elder sibling.”

Hongjoong noticed that Wooyoung chuckled at San’s words, rolling his eyes fondly.

“Have you got something to say Wooyoung?” San asked his servant, raising a questioning eyebrow.

“Nothing of significance, your highness,” teased Wooyoung, dragging out San’s title to annoy the elder. “We all know that Jongho is the elder sibling, no debate necessary.”

“Such disrespect towards your superiors,” shrieked San, his voice full of obviously faked outrage. “I taught you better than this.” Lunging towards Wooyoung in a distinctly improper manner, San jokingly tried to tackle the younger.

Laughing, Wooyoung batted away San’s playful slaps, his face unbearably fond. 

Hongjoong smiled as he watched the two tussle with each other, it must be nice to be so unbothered, and be able to act so freely. Not for the first time Hongjoong wished he’d been born in a different life, a life where he was unburdened by responsibilities and he could do what he wanted, love whoever he chose. 

Thankfully San interrupted Hongjoong’s train of thought before he could get too lost in his regrets.

“Actually Hongjoong I had a question for you,” turning to stare at Mingi, San smiled brightly. “Well to be more accurate, I had a question for the beautiful man at your side.” 

“Me?” asked Mingi, blinking in confusion.

“Who else?” replied San. “I was wondering if you’d honour me with a dance? You were stunning earlier, easily one of the best performers I’ve seen. It would bring me great joy to dance with someone as skilled as you.”

Blushing at San’s pretty words, Mingi turned to Hongjoong for help. He was fairly sure the king wouldn’t approve of this, but he also couldn’t refuse. They desperately needed San’s help.

Hongjoong seemed to be fighting a war with himself, his face briefly overtaken by a dark emotion Mingi didn’t recognise. However the prince seemed to reach the same conclusion as Mingi, it was important to keep San as happy as possible - nevermind what the king thought. Nodding his permission to the younger, Mingi beamed at San. 

“I’d love to, although I’ve never danced with a partner before.” 

San matched Mingi’s enthusiasm, grabbing the younger’s hand and pulling him to the center of the room as the music shifted into a slower waltz tempo. As they were leaving Yunho could hear San assuring Mingi that he’d lead, the younger only had to follow and he’d be alright.

Jealousy threatened to overcome the guard as he watched San gracefully drape one hand around Mingi’s torso, the other coming up to clasp the dancers hand as the foreign prince gently led a slightly lost Mingi around the room. Yunho was so fixated on Mingi, he hardly noticed as Wooyoung left the pair, claiming he would try and find Yeosang for a dance.

Hands clenched into fists at his side, Yunho could only watch as Mingi grew more confident, his moves as graceful as San’s as they spun across the floor. They look good together, whispered a voice in the back of Yunho’s head, a voice Yunho promptly ignored. It was just one dance, he was being ridiculous. San leant up to whisper something in Mingi’s ear, whatever he said making the taller man flush an alarming shade of crimson. 

Yunho saw red. 

Every single part of his body was screaming that he should tear Mingi away from San’s arms, and envelop him in his own embrace instead. Shaking his head, Yunho tried to snap himself out of it. He was being ridiculous, Mingi wasn’t his, he never had been. Even thinking like that made him almost as bad as Taeyong. Trying to calm down he decided to just enjoy the sight of Mingi dancing once again; he really was a vision dressed in that pink outfit.

“You like him, don’t you?” Surprised by Hongjoong’s quiet words interrupting his thoughts, Yunho spun to face his prince, stuttering in denial.

Laughing at his friend's evident panic, Hongjoong tried to placate him.

“It’s ok please don’t panic, it’s just you’re either severely constipated right now, or jealous of San. If it’s any consolation, I understand. It’s hard not to be besotted with him, he’s just so… Mingi.”

A wistful look crossed Hongjoong’s face as he watched the younger dancer be gracefully spun around by San, an endearing gummy smile present on his face.

“You too then?” asked Yunho, daring to allow hope to creep into his voice.

“For an embarrassingly long time,” disclosed Hongjoong. “He just has this effect on you, it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”

Humming quietly to himself, Hongjoong inhaled shakily

“Actually that’s not quite true, it’s a feeling I’ve felt once before.” 

Yunho was caught off guard as Hongjoong turned to face him, eyes unbearably fond.

“I couldn’t have done this without you Yunho, you must know that.” Seemingly gathering all his courage, Hongjoong grabbed the younger's hand, Yunho distantly noting that the prince's hands were shaking slightly, his palm damp from sweat. 

“For years you were the only person I had. You were the reason I got up in the morning, you were the reason I could make it through the day. Honestly sometimes I think you’re probably the only reason I’m still alive. And for years I’ve tried to ignore these feelings because I was always told that they weren’t right, weren’t proper.” 

Letting out another shaky breath, Hongjoong’s grip tightened, his mind made up.

“But fuck that. I’m done running away from what I feel, done running away from you. We’re considering committing high treason, what’s one more broken law on top of that?”

A wry smile covered Hongjoong’s face as he turned back to glance at Mingi.

“And now it’s not just you I have the feelings for. My best friend and my supposed worst enemy. I guess my heart really does know how to pick them.”

Yunho’s mind was reeling. All these years, all the time they could’ve had together. Lost. Just because neither of them had the courage to reach out to the other, too afraid of the consequences. 

Realising Hongjoong was waiting for a response, Yunho desperately tried to think of words that could describe what he felt for the elder. It was a futile effort, conscious thought escaping him as he stared into Hongjoong’s eyes that were filled with hope, and hints of fear. It occured to Yunho that maybe he didn’t need fancy words or eloquent explanations, they’d never mattered between the two of them.

“I love you too Hongjoong. You know I do.” 

Yunho was pretty sure Hongjoong had stopped breathing.

Conscious of the fact they were still in public, Yunho settled for giving Hongjoong’s hand a comforting squeeze, before reaching out to cup his face. Having recovered from his shock, the prince stared at his guard, expression open, eyes filled with adoration, happiness, and another emotion, something Yunho could now identify as love.

Yunho allowed himself to soak in the attention for a few minutes, before his gaze became devious, eyes darkening slightly. 

“All this time and you’re telling me I could’ve had.. this.” Yunho’s eyes unsubtly flitted up and down Hongjoong’s figure. “If only we weren’t in public right now, I’d show you exactly how much I care about you.”

Ignoring how hot his face felt (and the relief and happiness in his chest,) Hongjoong smirked back.

“How about we go fetch Mingi and get out of here? I’m fairly sure most people are deep enough into the wine barrels that they wouldn’t notice if this room got set on fire. And from the glances Wooyoung is shooting at San, I’m pretty sure they won’t be sticking around much longer either.”

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” agreed Yunho, holding out a hand to his prince. “After you, your highness.” 

Rolling his eyes at his guards' antics, Hongjoong gladly accepted the hand, pulling Yunho across the room to where Mingi and San’s dance was drawing to a close.

\-----

Out on the dance floor, Mingi was struggling to know how to act around San.

Much like Wooyoung, he was honest to a fault. As soon as they’d started dancing San had levelled him with an almost chilling, assessing look, before leaning forward to whisper in his ear.

“I’m so sorry this has happened to you, Prince Mingi. Even though you’re younger than me, you were always someone I looked up to and respected whilst I was growing up .You’ve always had a reputation for being righteous and kind. It makes me sick to think you ended up here.” 

There was a pause as San seemed to consider his next words. When they came they were dead serious.

“Just say the word and we’ll get you out. With you and Jongho by my side, they couldn’t stop us if they tried.”

Mingi’s brain was working in overdrive. It hadn’t been too long ago that he’d been ready to fight tooth and nail to escape this castle, willing to risk life and limb. But at some point in the weeks that had passed, the willingness to fight had subsided. In between Hongjoong’s sweet smiles and Yunho’s constant jokes, Mingi had started to view the castle as less of a prison, and more of a home (albeit a home full of people that hated him.) However knowing that Hongjoong, Yunho and the rest of his friends were there for him had allowed Mingi to create a life he was surprisingly happy with.

It was odd, but it was only when the opportunity was blatantly presented to him that Mingi realised he didn’t want to leave.

“I don’t want to go.”

If San was surprised by the compassion behind Mingi’s answer, it was nothing compared to what the man himself felt.

“Although it probably doesn’t seem like it, Hongjoong and his friends have been nothing but good to me.” continued Mingi. “They’re really not the problem here.” 

“You say that like there is a problem.” observed San.

It was now or never, thought Mingi. If they wanted to secure San’s help, he had to ask now.

“You’re sharp,” said the younger, “and also totally correct.”

Leaning closer to San so he wasn’t heard, Mingi tried to explain the situation with Taeyong as succinctly as possible. If they wanted to succeed in preventing Taeyong’s plans, San’s backing was crucial. Thankfully the prince listened intently to everything Mingi said, all the while leading the younger round the room in an elegant waltz. To an outsider, they were simply two men deeply engrossed in their dance. It was impossible to tell they were discussing treason.

“Well you’ve certainly given me a lot to think about” smiled San as the dance drew to a close, music fading in the background. “Wooyoung mentioned that you might have something to say to me, hence why I asked you to dance. However, I didn’t realise it would be this serious.”

“So what do you think?” asked Mingi, an edge of desperation to his voice.

“Give me time to think it over,” San replied, “It’s a pretty big decision you’re asking me to make here. It’s not everyday I’m asked to join a rebellion.” 

Smiling softly at Mingi, San glanced across the room towards Hongjoong and Yunho.

“Now let's get you back to your men, I’m fairly sure that guard of Hongjoong’s is about to have an aneurysm because of how close we were.”

“They’re not my men!” spluttered Mingi in protest, although he noticed that Yunho did look oddly red as they made their way back to the others. Maybe he was overheating in his pretty jacket?

Beside him San couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Really, some people were just too oblivious.

\-----

As Hongjoong had predicted, San seemed pretty keen to join Wooyoung now his dance with Mingi was over. However, he still made sure to thoroughly thank Mingi for his time, even going so far as to drop into a dramatic bow and kiss his hand. 

In Hongjoong’s opinion, San couldn’t leave fast enough. 

Once the prince had retreated to Wooyoung’s side, Hongjoong asked Mingi if he’d mind leaving early. The younger happily agreed, smile widening as Yunho interlocked their fingers as they slipped from the room.

Instead of returning to Hongjoong’s chambers as expected, the pair lead him into the smaller room next to the banquet hall, shutting the door behind them.

Laughing at Mingi’s confused expression, Yunho gestured for Hongjoong to explain.

“We’re sorry for not explaining ourselves sweetheart, but after watching you dance so beautifully today, Yunho and I thought it was only fair we had our turns. Unfortunately we can’t dance in front of everyone else, but there’s no one stopping us in here.”

Swooping down into an elaborate bow, Hongjoong extended a hand towards Mingi.

“So princess, may I have this dance?”

Already blushing Mingi nodded, allowing Hongjoong to lead him into the center of the empty room. Faint strains of music filtered through from next door, providing enough of a melody for the pair to dance too.

Hongjoong gently rested one hand on Mingi’s waist, the other one coming up to clasp his partner's hand. Unsure of himself, Mingi placed his free hand on Hongjoong’s shoulder, allowing the shorter to start leading them around the room. Mingi moved as if he was in a trance, happily following Hongjoong as they slowly swirled across the floor. 

For the first time in an age, Mingi felt his stress melt away as he allowed his mind to drift, safe and secure in Hongjoong’s arms. The elder was clearly in a similar state, his face as open and relaxed as Mingi had ever seen it, a soft smile lighting up his features. As one unit they moved around the room, totally lost in each other's presence. 

A gentle hand on Mingi’s shoulder broke him out of his revelry.

“I think it’s my turn now, isn't it darling?” asked Yunho, his voice surprisingly soft.

“Couldn’t bear just standing by and watching, could you?” teased Hongjoong, tracing a gentle finger over Yunho’s face. “I expect a dance from you as well, handsome. It should be illegal to look as good as you do in that jacket, I want to make the most of it.”

“I’d expect nothing less,” smirked Yunho. “But I’ll get to you later, love. Let me and Mingi have a moment first.”

Content, Hongjoong stepped to the side, allowing Mingi to slip into Yunho’s arms instead.

The younger was still a blushing mess, unused to the intensity of attention he was receiving from both men.

Instantly Mingi could tell that Yunho was a very different dancer to Hongjoong. He immediately took command of the situation, dominating the dance as he spun Mingi round the room. The younger had no choice but to follow breathlessly as they moved relentlessly in time to the music. Despite the intensity of their movements Mingi felt a laugh escape his lips. It was so easy to lose himself like this, to just sink into Yunho’s arms and stop thinking. To feel safe, feel protected.

Eventually the song reached its end, Mingi moving to the side of the room allowing Yunho to sweep Hongjoong into his arms instead.

Mingi observed the two as they moved slowly around the room, swaying gently, seemingly lost in their own little world. Something inside Mingi told him he should maybe feel jealous, but how could he? He was lucky enough to be spending the night with two men he cared about above all others. Never in his life had he felt this loved, this content. He couldn’t lie to himself any longer. The feelings he had for Yunho and Hongjoong had grown past those of a simple crush.

The fire that had grown slowly in his chest now threatened to consume Mingi. 

Love. 

That was what he felt for these two men, there was no point denying it.

From the moment he’d arrived at the castle, terrified, alone, but refusing to be broken, Hongjoong had been nothing but kind, going out of his way to make sure the younger had been comfortable. As they’d spent time together Mingi had learnt more about the soft, caring man who had to hide under the sometimes cold exterior of a savage prince. 

And Yunho… well how could anyone not love that man? Always kind, always smiling, always willing to indulge Mingi.

Lost in thought, Mingi didn’t notice when Hongjoong and Yunho’s dancing slowed to a stop, the taller leaning down to whisper something in the prince's ear, a smirk evident on his face. Slowly the pair made their way over to Mingi, who was yet to notice them. 

“Mingi we wanted to talk to you.” began Hongjoong, his voice soft so as not to spook the younger who was clearly in a world of his own.

“What about?” asked Mingi, expression open and unguarded. Hongjoong stepped forward and gently interlaced his fingers with Mingi’s.

“It’s a cruel twist of fate that you arrived here the way you did, but on some awful level I’m glad Taeyong decided to bring you back that day. If he hadn’t I doubt our paths would ever have crossed, and I can’t imagine my life without you in it anymore.”

Surprised by Hongjoong’s words, Mingi tried to fight back the hope that was burning in his chest. This could be what he thought it was, could it?

Amused by the younger's bewilderment, Hongjoong smiled.

“You have no idea how amazing you truly are, do you?”

Stepping forward to grasp Mingi’s other hand, Yunho smiled gently at the younger.

“Of course he doesn't, he's much too oblivious for that.” Ignoring Mingi’s quiet protests at his words, Yunho kept talking.

“I’m not as eloquent as Hongjoong is but I understand what he’s trying to say, I wish I could confess using pretty words and metaphors, but I think we’d both end up confused.” Gently running a finger down Mingi’s cheek, Yunho smiled. “The last few months spent with you have been a gift. You bring colour and joy to my days in a way only Hongjoong has ever been able to achieve before. I think I can easily say I speak for both of us when I say I love you Mingi.”

Clearly affronted by Yunho’s bluntness, Hongjoong elbowed his guard.

“I thought we were going to build up to that?”

“I didn’t see the point of dragging out the inevitable,” shrugged Yunho. “Either he returns our feelings, or he doesn't. No use prolonging the agony.” 

Sighing at Yunho’s nonchalant attitude, Hongjoong switched his attention back to Mingi who had become suspiciously quiet and still.

“So what do you say Mingi? Obviously our current situation is less than ideal, but we couldn’t wait any longer. Would you be willing to be with us, in whatever way we can be?” 

“Yes.” gasped Mingi, his brain still trying to catch up with his heart. “How could I ever refuse either of you? You’re both kind, supportive, you both treat me like I’m worth something, you make me feel complete. It would take a stronger man than me to not fall head over heels for both of you.”

Awed by the sincerity of Mingi’s words, both Yunho and Hongjoong stared at the younger man like he’d hung the stars. Frustrated by the lack of reaction, Mingi grabbed Hongjoong by his shirt and pulled him towards him.

“Now are you going to kiss me or no? We’ve wasted enough time talking.” 

At Mingi’s word the atmosphere in the room seemed to change, both Yunho and Hongjoong’s faces darkening. Mingi gulped, maybe he shouldn’t have been so hasty. 

“Needy, aren’t you,” smirked Hongjoong, “it’s bold of you to think you can order us around after that stunt you pulled earlier.”

Confused, Mingi turned to Yunho for help. However if anything, Yunho’s grin was even more devious than Hongjoong’s.

“Not so confident now are we darling?” drawled Yunho, his voice lower than normal. The dark look he shot Mingi sent shivers down the younger's spine, the dancer gripping the wall behind him for support. 

“Bet you thought you were so clever, teasing us in front of everyone like that, knowing that we’d have no choice but to watch as you danced so beautifully.” continued Yunho. “Hongjoong I think we’d better teach him a lesson.” 

Grinning wickedly, Hongjoong pressed his body against Mingi’s, crowding him against the wall until their faces were mere inches apart. Mingi’s eyes subconsciously flickered to Hongjoong’s lips, whimpering when he saw how close they were. 

Both men stiffened at the sound that escaped Mingi’s lips. He looked utterly sinful like this, hair tousled and eyes glazed with desire. Unable to control himself any longer Hongjoong finally gave in and closed the almost non-existent gap between them.

Mingi’s thoughts stopped. Hongjoong’s lips were soft and warm, moving slowly against his. Despite his taunting words the kiss was surprisingly slow and gentle, full of unspoken words and emotions. Hongjoong was determined to make sure Mingi was comfortable, not demanding anything the younger wasn’t willing to give. 

Realising he was still frozen, Mingi enthusiastically pressed back against the elder, trying to convey all the pent up emotions and frustrations he’d felt over the last few months. Unlike Hongjoong his technique was unrefined, but what he lacked in experience he made up for with enthusiasm.

Hongjoong couldn’t help but smile. Somehow he couldn’t imagine Mingi kissing any other way.

Eventually the need for oxygen forced Mingi and Hongjoong to part. Taking advantage of their separation, Yunho tapped Hongjoong’s shoulder, the elder moving so Yunho could have his turn.

Yunho kissed just like he danced. 

Unlike Hongjoong, he wasted no time being gentle. Instead he instantly dominated the kiss, pinning Mingi properly against the wall and trapping the younger's hands above his head. Teasing Mingi’s lower lip between his teeth, Yunho smirked as the younger squirmed in his grip, desperately fighting to deepen the kiss. Happy to oblige, the elder slipped his tongue into Mingi’s mouth, the younger unable to stop the moan that slipped past his lips.

No longer content with watching, Hongjoong tugged Yunho off a dazed Mingi, quickly claiming the guards mouth as his own. 

Mingi was helpless to do anything but watch, Yunho still firmly pinning him to the wall as the guard fought Hongjoong for control of the kiss. 

Heat flared in Mingi’s abdomen as he watched Hongjoong melt into Yunho, tangling his fingers in the younger’s hair to pull him closer. Unable to control his need any longer, Mingi found himself writhing in Yunho’s grip, desperate for attention.

“Look at him, Yunho,” smirked Hongjoong, pulling away from the younger, face flushed. “He’s already so desperate, so needy.”

There was a gleam of something dangerous in the elder’s eyes as he reached out to cup Mingi’s face.

“He’s beautiful like this, don’t you agree?”

“Positively sinful,” replied Yunho with a wicked grin. “If only the others could see you like this they’d realise what they were missing.” Yunho’s eyes darkened and his grip on Mingi’s hands tightened possessively.

“But they don’t get to see you like this. Ever.” Leaning closer Yunho whispered his next words directly into Mingi’s ears.

“This? This is just for us.” 

Mingi’s knees shook uncontrollably at Yunho’s words, unable to stop himself from whining pitifully.

“Oh the things we could do to you…” Hongjoong murmured absentmindedly, tracing his thumb over Mingi’s slightly swollen lips.

Mingi’s mouth parted on its own accord, allowing Hongjoong’s thumb to slip in, the elder practically purring at the sight.

“We’re going to absolutely ruin you sweetheart.” 

Gasping for breath, Mingi couldn’t rip his gaze away from Yunho and Hongjoong.

“Just what is the meaning of this?”

The moment shattered.

Quickly pulling himself away from his lovers, Hongjoong whipped round to face whoever had interrupted. 

Standing in the doorway, face contorted with rage, was Taeyong. As always Doyoung stood by his side, not even trying to conceal his glee.

“I asked you a question, Hongjoong,” said Taeyong, words laced with venom. “What the fuck is going on.”

“Taeyong, I swear it’s not what it looks like.” begged Hongjoong, “We were just-”

“Don’t bother Hongjoong,” smirked Doyoung, his voice dripping with vengeful glee, “We’ve seen enough.”

“Wait Taeyong please, I can explain.” Hongjoong pleaded, voice desperate.

“I don’t want to hear it, traitor. I didn’t want to believe Doyoung, didn’t want to believe my own brother would betray me like that. But he was right.” Taeyong spat on the ground in contempt. “You’re fucking dead to me now Hongjoong. Watch your back.”

Before Hongjoong could say another word, Taeyong had grabbed Doyoung and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Slumping back against Yunho for support, Hongjoong tried to stop himself from shaking. In the face of the elder’s distress Mingi and Yunho quickly wrapped themselves around him, muttering quiet words of comfort. 

“It’s going to be ok love,” reassured Yunho, pressing soft kisses against the princes forehead. “We’re prepared for this, we know what we have to do. We’re just going to have to accelerate our plans.” 

“He’s right, Hongjoong,” agreed Mingi quietly. “This changes nothing. We have a plan, we have support, and mostly importantly we have each other. This changes nothing.”

Hongjoong’s panic seemed to subside slightly at their words, the elder burying his head into the crook of Mingi’s neck as he tried to control his breathing.

As he rubbed soothing circles into Hongjoong’s back, Yunho whispering comforting words at his side, Mingi couldn’t help but wonder how things had gone so wrong, so fast.

It was as if the world seemed determined for him to suffer.

Burying his negative thoughts Mingi nuzzled his face into Hongjoong’s hair. In a few minutes they would have to get up and face the mess of their own creation. But for now, they could allow themselves these last few moments of comfort. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I M S O R R Y 
> 
> welp that escalated quickly, please feel free to scream at me in the comments


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LIVE. Ok but jokes aside I’m so sorry this took so long to update, it’s been really hard to find any kind of motivation recently. However, we powered through and finally managed to finish this chapter just in time for Mingi’s birthday. In all honesty though this was incredibly hard to write - so I really hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> Also happy birthday to an incredibly talented man that means everything to me. Mingi deserves the world.

After the disastrous end to their evening, the trio made their way back to Honjoong’s chambers where they promptly collapsed onto his bed. Mingi barely managed to kick off his shoes before falling thankfully into sleep's gentle embrace. It had been a long and eventful day, and no doubt they’d have to deal with the consequences in the morning. But for now sleep was the priority.

However their peace was short lived. It was barely dawn when Yeosang burst into the bedchamber, panic rolling off him in waves.

“You three need to get up. Right now.”

“Yeosang?” murmured Yunho blurrily, his voice thick with sleep. “Wha-”

“Seonghwa sent me to get you - there’s no time to waste, you need to get there before Taeyong does.”

Without explanation Yeosang started to rifle through Hongjoong’s closet, finding three pairs of shoes which he dumped on the bed to the confusion of the still half-asleep trio.

“Quickly put these on, we need to go.”

“Go where Yeosang? You’re not making any sense.” Hongjoong was still yawning, but already looked considerably more alert than his companions.

“The king’s chambers. It’s your father, Hongjoong. He’s been stabbed.”

There was a moment of shocked silence while they processed Yeosang’s words, before everything happened at once. Hongjoong jumped out of bed, tugging the covers off the other two before slipping on the shoes.

“We knew this was coming, I just didn’t think Taeyong would be this bold.” muttered Hongjoong as he hastily strapped a dagger to his thigh. It never hurt to be prepared.

“Is Seonghwa with him now?”

Yeosang nodded grimly.

“It was already too late when they found him, the most Seonghwa could do was try and alleviate his pain in his final moments. I think he’s still there now, trying to clean up the wounds a bit.”

“You know what this means, right?” mumbled Mingi, still rubbing sleep from his eyes. 

“Taeyong’s going to pin this on the Chois.” muttered Yunho, mind racing. “We need to get Jongho and San out of the palace. There’s no time to waste.”

“Yunho, take Mingi and go warn the princes,” ordered Hongjoong, voice firm. “I have to go and see my father, it’ll look suspicious if I don’t. You two should be able to slip by unnoticed - but you’ll need to go now, otherwise it’s going to be too late.”

Both Yunho and Mingi nodded in agreement, turning to leave. Hongjoong reached out to grasp their arms, pulling them back into a quick embrace.

“Be careful out there, ok?” he whispered, “things are going to be chaotic and I don’t want either of you two getting hurt.”

Mingi smiled at the concern in the prince's voice, leaning down to brush a gentle kiss against his forehead.

“We’ll be fine, worry about yourself - not us.” Yunho hummed in affirmation, burrowing his head into the crook of Hongjoong’s neck. They allowed themselves one final moment of peace before Mingi regretfully pulled himself from the other’s arms, tugging Yunho by the hand. “We really need to go Hongjoong. See you soon, love.”

Slipping quietly away, they left Hongjoong behind them standing frozen, a soft smile stuck on his face. 

“Cute,” said Yeosang wryly, “But we don’t have time for that right now. We need to move.”

Nodding, Hongjoong hastily followed the dancer out of his room. It was time to face his brother.

\-------

It didn’t take Mingi and Yunho long to reach the Chois’ chambers, barely pausing to knock before bursting into San’s bedroom. On any other day Mingi might have been shocked to find Wooyoung and San tangled together on the bed, fast asleep. But right now there were more pressing things to worry about. 

“Wha- Mingi? Yunho? What’s going on?” spluttered San, shocked awake by the pairs abrupt entrance.

“I’m sorry your majesty, but you need to get up now. I’ll explain as you both dress, but please just trust me.” explained Mingi, “Yunho, can you go get Jongho?”

Once the taller man had left, Mingi returned his attention to the prince and his servant, who were haphazardly getting dressed.

“Are you going to tell us what’s going on then?” For a man who had just been woken in the early hours of the morning with no explanation, San was remarkably calm.

As succinctly as possible Mingi tried to sum up what he knew about the events of the night (which really wasn’t much) and the dangers posed to the man and his brother. San listened to his words intently, wasting no time to spring into action once the younger man was done.

Within minutes the pair were dressed, San barely pausing to shoot Wooyoung a comforting glance before they were off.

Together Wooyoung and San set about rousing the various servants and soldiers who had accompanied the princes on the trip, with Mingi explaining the situation in hushed words. It wasn’t long before Yunho joined them, accompanied by a surprisingly awake Jongho. Before long the necessities were packed and everyone started making their way to the stables, led by Wooyoung.

“Where will you go now?” asked Mingi, as he watched the last few servants slip quietly down the corridor. Jongho tilted his head contemplatively, glancing at his brother. A conversation seeming to pass between the princes, without a single word being uttered.

“We’ll head north until we’re out of The Aurora’s territory.” the younger said eventually.

“But isn’t that the opposite direction to where you should be headed?” questioned Yunho.

“Precisely,” grinned San, “Only an idiot would run away from safety, which is exactly why it’s the safest route. I have no doubt Taeyong will send men after us, it’d be almost impossible to slip past the southern border guards.” 

“But they won’t expect you in the north…” murmured Mingi in understanding. “That should work. I hope you arrive safely. It was an honour to meet you, even if it was only for a short time.”

“Likewise,” nodded Jongho, “hopefully we’ll be able to meet again when conditions are more favourable.”

“Why is everyone so formal?” complained San, before promptly knocking all the air out of Mingi with a bone crushing hug.

“Stay safe Mingi. If you ever need somewhere to run to, know that our doors are always open to you.”

Too soon, San was letting go of Mingi. With a final goodbye the brothers turned to leave, following their men down the darkened corridor, and away from danger.

Mingi sighed as he watched them fade into the shadows, sinking into Yunho for support.

“I hope they’ll be ok.”

“I’m sure they will be, darling,” Yunho murmured into the younger man’s hair, “I’m more worried about us at the moment. Let’s get out of here before Taeyong’s men arrive.”

\-----

Mingi and Yunho had barely left the Chois’ quarters when they spotted a man storming down the corridor towards them, flanked on either side by two of Taeyong’s soldiers.

Doyoung. Fuck.

“Well what do we have here then?” drawled Doyoung. “A strange time to be out for a walk, especially considering all that's happened tonight.”

“Did something happen at the ball?” asked Yunho, feigning surprise, “I wasn’t aware of any commotion.”

“Don’t act dumb, I’m sure your darling Hongjoong has told you already.” scoffed Doyoung. “The king was found stabbed. In his own bed no less.”

Mingi was impressed at how convincingly Yunho managed to portray his shock. He himself had never been much of an actor, so kept his gaze fixed meekly on the floor. The last thing he wanted was to fuel Doyoung’s suspicions even further.

“Do you have any idea who did it?” asked Yunho. It was obvious where Doyoung and his entourage were headed, but the guard knew he had to keep the man talking if the others were to have any chance of getting to safety.

“The Chois of course, who else could it be?” A thought seemed to strike Doyoung as he paused, grinning darkly.

“What a funny coincidence it is to run into you two here - so near the Chois’ quarters. What are you doing here so early in the morning?”

“Hongjoong sent us to check up on the guests,” explained Yunho, wary of Doyoung’s devious grin, and of how blatantly weak his excuse was. “It would be a poor example of the Kim’s hospitality if they were left wanting for anything.”

“Oh really? Strange time of the day to be checking in on your visitors.” sneered Doyoung, before his voice took on a sickly sweet tone. “Well it would be an honour if you two would accompany me to visit our guests then, seeming as you’re so well acquainted with them.”

“I’m sure we’d only get in your way, it would be best if we returned to Hongjoong’s side.” Bowing politely, Yunho tried his best to edge past the guards.

“Why so eager to leave?” asked Doyoung, catching Yunho’s wrist in an iron grip, his voice positively saccharine with false sincerity. “I really do insist you accompany me.”

The longer they stalled, the longer it gave San and Jongho to escape. However, it seemed Doyoung’s patience had worn thin. With a nod he signalled his guards, who hemmed in Yunho and Mingi from both sides – blocking off any potential escape routes. Smirking at both of them, Doyoung whipped back around.

“Now then, let's go pay a visit to our esteemed guests.”

With no way out, Mingi and Yunho had no choice but to follow Doyoung as they were frogmarched down the corridor. 

With no way to escape Doyoung, all they could do was hope that the others had had long enough to get away successfully.

\----

Meanwhile, Hongjoong had followed Yeosang to the king's chambers, nodding his thanks to the dancer as he made his way inside.

Hongjoong had never felt anything but contempt for his father, but the sight that met him was still enough to make his stomach turn.

Specks of crimson spotted the once pristine bedsheets. The King’s shirt was roughly torn in half, his back crudely exposed. But what really drew the attention were the stab wounds littering his skin, each one deeper and more jagged than the last. 

It hadn’t been a clean death, whoever had committed this crime hadn’t just murdered the king, they’d enjoyed it.

Tearing his eyes away from his father's sorry corpse, Hongjoong finally noticed his brother, who up until then had been skulking in the shadows.

“Hongjoong, you’re finally here.” Taeyong’s tone was neutral, his expression blank. It was impossible to tell what he was feeling.

“I came as soon as I heard.” replied Hongjoong, eye’s flicked around the room as he took in the knocked over furniture and the paper that was strewn across the floor, clear signs of a struggle. He also noticed Seonghwa, who had been standing quietly in the corner, unwilling to interrupt the princes. Hongjoong shot him a quick smile before turning back to his brother.

“How could this have happened? There are always guards stationed outside Father’s door - it should’ve been impossible for anyone to get in.”

“Curious, isn’t it?” mused Taeyong, face still devoid of emotion. “The guards were stationed as normal, yet they claim that they saw nothing out of the ordinary.”

“They’re lying. They must’ve seen something, we should bring them in for questioning immediately.”

Taeyong almost seemed amused by his brother's words.

“Why bother? We already know the culprits are right here in the castle.”

“What do you mean?” asked Hongjoong, feigning confusion. 

‘Don’t act dumb brother, it doesn’t suit you.” replied Taeyong, a smirk finally breaking across his face. “We invited the Choi’s to the palace under the premise of peace, but clearly they just couldn’t help themselves.”

Hongjoong had known Taeyong would blame San and Jongho, but the inevitability of the fact didn’t make it any easier to deal with. The most he could do was try and stall his brother so the others could escape. 

“Don’t be ridiculous, I was with them for most of the evening, plus they only arrived yesterday - they couldn’t have even known where the king slept.”

“Strange isn’t it? Almost as if they had help. Help from someone inside the castle.”

Taeyong stepped closer to Hongjoong, grasping his wrist. 

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t it your bitch who was getting all friendly with the older prince last night?”

Damn it, Hongjoong had hoped Taeyong would’ve missed Mingi and San’s little dance the evening prior, but clearly his brother was more observant than he gave him credit for. 

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t act coy with me brother,” Taeyong’s grip was like iron, “We both know what Doyoung and I saw yesterday was enough to prove you can’t be trusted. And now that beloved pet of yours is seen cavorting with the king's murderers? It doesn’t look good for you, does it?”

Reddening at Taeyong’s implications, Hongjoong broke free from his brother's grasp. He knew the Choi’s weren’t responsible for the murder - there was no way they could’ve been. In fact the most likely suspect was the man standing in front of him right now.

However, before Hongjoong could protest, a guard burst into the chamber, rushing to Taeyong’s side. A smirk slowly crept across the elder prince’s face as the man relayed a message into his ear.

“I’ve received some news, brother mine.” 

The prince gleefully tugged his brother to the door, ignoring the younger's surprised protests.

“They’ve caught the culprits - they’re waiting in the throne room.”

“Really?” said Hongjoong, his face a picture perfect representation of surprise. Fuck. Had San and Jongho not made it out in time? “Who are they?”

“You’ll see.” replied Taeyong, grinning wickedly.

Taeyong's next words were quiet, a mere whisper that Hongjoong had to strain to hear.

“Oh, I’m going to enjoy this.”

\---

Taeyong refused to explain further as he dragged Hongjoong towards the throne room, Seonghwa trailing a few metres behind, just far enough away to not be noticed.

At the pace they were moving it didn’t take them long to arrive, Taeyong not hesitating to fling open the heavy doors to reveal the scene inside. 

Dread settled in the pit of Hongjoong’s stomach at the sight that met him.

The first thing he noticed was the whispers of the half dressed nobles that were crowded around the edges of the room, eye transfixed on what was going on in the centre of the floor. Behind Hongjoong, Seonghwa finally caught up with the princes, and unlike the elder he was unable to hold back his horrified gasp.

Right in the middle of the room knelt Mingi and Yunho, hands shackled, a sword at each of their throats. Doyoung was standing at their side - smirking ominously. 

Overcoming his shock, Hongjoong tried to rush forward, only to be stopped by two of Taeyong’s guards.

“What’s the meaning of this?” asked the younger prince icily. “You have no right to treat my servants like this.”

“Actually your highness, we do.” replied Doyoung gleefully. “Your precious personal guard and spoilt bitch have both been accused of, and will no doubt be found guilty of, high treason.”

Doyoung’s words washed over Hongjoong like a wave of ice cold water. Of all the situations he’d imagined, this wasn’t one of them. But panicking wouldn’t help Yunho or Mingi, he had to keep his cool.

“Treason?” scoffed the prince, trying to reflect the ridiculousness of the situation in his tone. “On what possible grounds can these two be accused of treason?”

“Is aiding the assassination of our king ground enough for you?” drawled Doyoung.

From the shocked gasps that echoed around the room, it was clear the news of the kings murder was new to many of the nobels.

“Impossible,” argued Hongjoong. He knew what he was going to say next would incriminate him further, but he didn’t really have a choice. “They were both with me last night - they couldn’t have possibly played a part.”

“Both with you were they?” Murmured Taeyong, loud enough for many of the nobles to hear, “How very… unconventional for two lowly servants to spend the night with a prince.”

“If they’re so innocent, why were they skulking outside the guest quarters in the middle of the night?” sneered Doyoung. He was clearly enjoying himself. “After last night's commotion, his highness sent me to check on the Chois - it wouldn’t do for our revered guests to be upset. Imagine my surprise when I arrived to find their rooms deserted, and this pair of traitors fleeing the scene. It’s clear the Chois have been planning this assassination for a while, and your beloved servants were only too willing to help, even going so far as aiding their escape once the deed was done.”

Before Hongjoong had a chance to defend the pair, Taeyong moved to face Yunho, laying a hand on the guards shoulder. The prince’s expression almost looked sad as he took in Yunho’s sorry state. The thin sleeping clothes the guard was wearing did little to protect against the biting cold of the throne room, causing his body to shiver uncontrollably. But despite the slight tremors, Yunho refused to be cowed by the prince, meeting his gaze dead on.

The small act of defiance destroyed any sympathy Taeyong may have shown the other, his expression instantly hardening. 

“It’s sad to hear one of our own could betray us like this.” Began the prince, leaning down to look Yunho properly in the eyes. “From the moment you arrived in this palace, I’ve watched you grow in my brother’s shadow. I was there the first time you picked up a sword, I was there when you finished your training and dedicated your life to protecting my family, and now I’m here after you’ve betrayed that very same family you swore your life to. You're pathetic.”

With a noise of disgust Taeyong shoved Yunho to the floor, the impact knocking the breath out of the younger. With a kick in the guard's ribs for good measure, Taeyong turned to Mingi - his expression morphing into something darker, more predatory. 

“And you? I can’t say I’m surprised by you. I should’ve killed you the first time I laid eyes on you, when I had you lying at my feet like the dog you are. No matter though, you’ll be wishing you were dead soon enough.”

Taeyong ruthlessly yanked back Mingi's hair, forcing a pained wince from the younger.

That was too much for Hongjoong, the younger prince pushing past the guards, tearing Taeyong’s hands off Mingi. The bastard didn’t even seem surprised by his brother’s outburst. 

”So this is how it is brother? You choose to protect these traitors? Disappointing.”

Taking a step back, Taeyong signalled to the men who were circling around the younger prince and the pair bound on the floor.

“Guards, get him.”

Scrambling for the dagger strapped to his leg, Hongjoong fought ferociously, using both the weapon and all the strength in his lithe frame to protect the men sprawled defencelessly behind him.

However his efforts were futile, there were simply too many of them. Despite throwing all his energy and desperation into the fight, it wasn't long before Hongjoong found himself being totally overwhelmed and pinned to the ground. 

“This is bullshit. You can’t prove anything.” spat Hongjoong, struggling against his captors.

Taeyong merely laughed, grabbing his brother by the chin and pulling him close. When he spoke his voice was lowered, his words for Hongjoong and Hongjoong alone.

“Oh brother, you should know that I don’t need proof.” The prince’s eyes flickered around the room, looking at the nobles who were transfixed on the scene in front of them. “These people will believe whatever I tell them, and right now they believe you helped organise your own father's execution.” Taeyong’s fingers dug even harder into Hongjoong’s skin. “Not a very filial son, are you?”

“We both know I’m not the murderer here.” 

“But they don’t, and that’s all that matters.”

With a final smirk, Taeyong stepped away from his brother and strolled leisurely across the room. Silence filled the chamber as he reached the thrones that dominated the room. Even without extravagant robes or finery the lone royal cut an intimidating picture.

“This has been a night darker than any experienced by our mighty empire. Not only have we lost our beloved ruler, we have lost him to someone who we all trusted, someone who I loved.”

If Hongjoong wasn’t so angry he might’ve almost been impressed by the depth of Taeyong’s acting, the man looked the picture perfect example of distraught.

“It is with a heavy heart that I find myself accepting the title of king. Whilst the kingdom may have lost a king and a prince tonight, I have lost a father and a brother. I swear I shall do everything in my power to ensure nothing like this happens ever again.”

Taeyong’s words echoed throughout the throne room, demanding the attention of all its occupants.

“We have become lazy, complacent, we have allowed corruption to fester even within the halls of this castle. And that’s not even mentioning the Chois - who we foolishly invited here under the white flag of peace. We have become soft, and I cannot allow it. It’s time for things to change.”

Lowering himself onto the seat of the man he had murdered in cold blood mere hours ago, Taeyong waved a dismissive hand at his guards.

“Get these filthy traitors out of my sight. I’ll deal with them later.”

The last thing Hongjoong saw as he was forced from the room was his brother, sprawled across the throne he’d earnt through patricide, a victorious smirk painted on his face for the whole world to see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts :)


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